Kofi Kapito, CEO of CPA
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Kofi Kapito, has called on Parliament to pass the Consumer Protection Bill by the end of 2023.
According to the CEO, the bill was first presented to the Parliament in 2006 with the aim of empowering, protecting, and enhancing the rights and welfare of consumers.
He also said that the bill seeks to establish a fair and efficient marketplace in line with Ghana’s Trade Policy as well as empower consumers to assert their rights in the marketplace including the country’s E-commerce space.
Mr. Kapito added that with the previous governments’ failure to pass the bill, consumer rights have not been protected and many consumers have had negative purchasing experiences in the commerce space.
He therefore called for the bill to be passed now since the following year would be an election year and the government might experience distractions due to election activites.
The CEO also called on the citizenry to coerce the government to pass the bill as it will go a long way to benefit everyone.
“Unfortunately, we are in 2023 and still the bill has not been passed. We have been pushing this bill since 2006 and anytime we are promised that the bill will be passed, it never comes to fruition. So basically, we are here to encourage Ghanaian stakeholders and policy makers to push by asking MPs and other lawmakers to see that the bill becomes a reality,” he said.
He stated this at a Consumer Forum tour held on the Consumer Bill in Accra. The forum was organized to give Ghanaians the opportunity to gain forehand knowledge of the content of the bill and also carry feedback to Parliament on recommendations from the public.
West African Regional Director for CUTS International, Appiah Kusi Adomako, added that the bill should be treated with urgency as it seeks to make life easier for the citizenry.
“I’ll be very disappointed if this bill is not passed by this current parliament because it appears that they have put the bill on a slow lane whereas other bills are put on express lane and within a month or two they get passed. This is a bill that is not political but about the people of Ghana. This is a bill that protects everybody including the President, who is also a consumer. So until we get this framework for consumer protection, then Ghanaian consumers will always be short changed,” he shared.
By Abigail Atinuke Seyram Adeyemi