Residents of the ||Kharas Region have welcomed the objectives of the draft Credit Consumer Bill (CCB) but called for wider control measures to be introduced.

They shared their sentiments during a consultation meeting with the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (NAMFISA) at Keetmanshoop.

Those in attendance at the consultative meeting raised concerns about debt collectors, credit bureaus, and credit agreements, among other things.

The CCB is a new proposed legislation that aims to promote fair, transparent, and responsible market conduct in the consumer market where consumers of credit are protected.

"Now before the debt collector contacts me as a consumer, I go and settle Home Choice only to be told, No, but you owe us, you owe Home Choice, and then I said I settled it; here is my proof, but they said before you settled we already received instructions, and there is no way, you have to pay us," says the Chief Complaints Officer in the Ombudsman Office, Sylvester Sibungo.

NAMFISA representatives assured that the proposed legislation will include provisions that will protect consumers against many of the concerns highlighted during the consultations.