CUTS Urges Urgent Passage of Ghana’s Consumer Protection and Competition Laws
Policy think tank CUTS International has called on the government and Parliament to urgently enact Ghana’s long-delayed Consumer Protection Law and Competition Law, cautioning that continued postponements leave millions of citizens vulnerable and undermine investor confidence.
The appeal came during the launch of Consumer Rights and Justice in Ghana: A Legal Compass, authored by Francisca Kusi Appiah, Vice Dean of the UPSA Law Faculty, on the eve of World Competition Day.
Director of CUTS International West Africa, Appiah Kusi Adomako, stressed that Ghana’s failure to implement the two critical laws has created a significant legal gap, leaving consumers unprotected and markets largely unregulated.
“The country has waited long enough. The prolonged delay no longer serves the public interest. Consumers are left unprotected. Markets operate without discipline,” Mr. Adomako said.
He explained that the absence of a comprehensive consumer protection framework has led to widespread violations in essential sectors. Findings from a recent CUTS study highlighted rampant price exploitation, misleading product information, poor-quality goods, and weak complaint mechanisms affecting everyday life.
Mr. Adomako outlined key consumer rights routinely undermined in Ghana, including the right to safety, accurate information, choice, fair value, and effective redress. “A mother buying food products should trust labels. A patient visiting a clinic should feel safe. A mobile money user should not beg for reversals when systems fail. Rights must work in practice,” he said.
The think tank also warned that anti-competitive practices are rising in the absence of a robust competition law. Price fixing, output control, collusion, and abuse of dominance are increasingly reported, with some trade associations setting prices rather than promoting fair trade.
“Where associations dictate prices, competition dies. Dominant firms stifle small businesses,” he added, noting that Ghana lacks general legislation to criminalize cartel activity outside the downstream petroleum sector.
Mr. Adomako further reminded policymakers that under the AfCFTA Protocol on Competition, Ghana must establish an effective competition enforcement system. “Without these laws, Ghana cannot fully participate in the African single market,” he said.
