The Competition and Fair-Trading Commission (CFTC) has challenged journalists to be accelerators of change towards protecting consumers and competitive conduct in the country.

CFTC acting executive director Apoche Itimu made the remarks in Lilongwe during a media business interface with journalists from different media houses in the city.

According to Itimu, well-informed and knowledgeable press plays a significant role in as far issues to do with consumer protection and rights are concerned.

“The essence is that we would want journalists to work with us in disseminating information to the public about consumer protection but also competition laws within Malawi.

“We would want journalists also know about their consumer rights and also what amounts to anti-competitive contacts in the business industry,” said Itimu.

One of the participants of the meeting Taonga Sabola has commended the Commission for timely provision of what is required for journalists to relay credible information to the masses.

“This meeting has been important, I can describe it as an eye opener this meeting has been long overdue because issues of consumers do happen every day, every day people are buying goods and services.

“There is need for us as journalists to understand to make sure that we understand how these things operate so that we can also enlighten Malawians on the way to do business as well as on their rights,” said Sabola.

The Commission says it is satisfied with the strides it has made in the recent past attributing to an increase in a number of consumers that are approaching the Commission with different complaints.