CSOs Blame Trade Ministry for Stalled Passage of Consumer Protection Bill
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country have blamed the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) for the stalled passage of the Consumer Protection Bill despite having a draft for almost two decades.
In a joint press conference in Accra, the Executive Director of the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Mr Koffi Kapito, said it is painstakingly surprising that the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) whose duty it is to ensure that the draft bill gets to Cabinet and Parliament has not been able to act for nineteen years since the process started.
“Ghana started the process of getting a Consumer Protection Law in 2005 during President Kuffour’s time. MOTI and the Ministry of Energy commenced the Consumer Protection Bill and the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Bill at the same time. That of the NPA Act 691 was passed into law in the same year (2005) whilst that of the Consumer Protection Bill remains a draft document lying on the 3rd floor of the MOTI Building,” he said.
Koffi Kapito further lamented that whilst the Draft Consumer Protection Bill gathers dust on the mahogany desk on the Fourth Floor of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) Building, other ministries and agencies are getting Parliament to pass their bill for them.
He added that “despite the bill always being listed among bills to be submitted to Parliament, it is pathetic the snail pace at which the MOTI is handling the process. The seeming lack of interest in the law by the MOTI can be seen to have stalled the progress. The concern of many Ghanaians is that if urgency is not attached, the bill will not be passed within the life of this current Parliament”.
On his path, the West African Regional Director of CUTS International, Appiah Kusi Adomako Esq explained that in 2016, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), then in opposition, promised in their 2016 Manifesto “to protect Ghanaians from inferior quality goods, products, and services”, adding that “we will facilitate the passage of a Consumer Protection Law.” (Page 31 of the NPP 2016 Manifesto). With less than four months to the general elections, the government is yet to fulfill its promise to the 34.5 million Ghanaian consumers.
“Four presidents have come and three gone, yet the progress has painstakingly been slow with no demonstratable appetite by the Executive arm to facilitate the passage of the bill. It is clear that the absence of the Consumer Protection Law in the country has contributed to the widespread and deliberate abuse of consumer rights in the country. Consumer rights are fundamental human rights which the state has a binding duty to promote, protect, and safeguard through the enactment of laws and their enforcement” Mr Adomako opined.
In their next step of action, Appiah Kusi Adomako Esq revealed that they will officially petition His Excellency, the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Leadership of Parliament.
They will also mobilize one thousand Ghanaian consumers to picket at the premises of the Ministry of Trade and Industry until they see that the Ministry has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the draft Consumer Protection Bill makes its way to Parliament via Cabinet.
The CSOs called on the government to take immediate and decisive action by tidying up the draft bill, undertake stakeholder consultation, and prioritize the introduction of the Consumer Protection Bill to Parliament when Parliament reconvenes.
They also urge the Speaker of Parliament, Majority and Minority Leaders, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry, and Tourism to prioritize the passage of the bill on the Parliamentary calendar.
They further urge the lawmakers to approach this legislation with the seriousness it deserves. Explaining that it is not just another bill but a lifeline for millions of Ghanaians.
“We need a law that is strong, comprehensive, and enforceable— one that truly protects consumers from all forms of unfair business conduct.” He added.
“We pledge to work collaboratively with the government, businesses, and other stakeholders to ensure that once this law is enacted, it is implemented effectively and benefits all Ghanaians” Mr Adomako added.
