Nana Prempeh Okogyeabour Aduhene, Director of Arbitration and Mediation at the CPA
The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) of Ghana has raised concerns over the lack of consumer protection laws, which continue to hinder the attainment of a sustainable lifestyle for many Ghanaians.
Nana Prempeh Okogyeabour Aduhene, Director of Arbitration and Mediation at the CPA, emphasized that developed countries have achieved sustainable lifestyles due to the presence of strong consumer protection laws that safeguard every sector of the economy.
However, in Ghana, the Consumer Protection Bill, which was first introduced to Parliament in 2014, has yet to be passed into law despite multiple assurances from past governments.
Speaking during a press conference on March 14, 2025, to mark World Consumer Rights Day under the theme “Sustainable Lifestyle and How to Attain It,” he explained that, as a result, Ghanaian consumers continue to face systemic neglect and unfair practices across various sectors.
“Nothing in Ghana seems to work in favor of consumers.
“Under our health system, access to health care is treated as though it is a favor rather than a right. Communication between patients and healthcare providers is almost nonexistent, and questioning medical professionals may lead to denial of treatment by many doctors and nurses.
“Under our utility services, consumers are always at loggerheads with service providers. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) can choose not to read your electricity consumption for almost six months, and when they finally do, they present you with an accumulated bill ten times your salary, expecting full payment on the same day or facing disconnection.
“Our water company can decide on which day to supply water, even when rationing is in place, and unfortunately, it does not even have a call center for consumers to report their grievances,” he said.
The CPA argues that the passage of the Consumer Protection Bill is crucial in addressing these widespread consumer injustices.
“Recent cases of fake imported products into the Ghanaian market, such as the fake American paint and counterfeit diapers, which the CPA has spoken about extensively, are still being sold because authorities mandated to prevent such importations are simply not doing their job.
“Until such a bill is passed, there is no way we can sustain any meaningful lifestyle comparable to those achieved in developed countries.”
If enacted, the bill would establish a Consumer Commissioner with judicial powers equivalent to those of a High Court, allowing for legal action against negligent officials and businesses that fail to uphold consumer rights.
AM/KA
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