Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Kofi Kapito, has welcomed a move by the ministry of trade to pass the counsumer rights bill in the country.
According to him, although the passage has stalled for some years, he is hopeful the current government will seek to fulfill its pledge. He revealed that it’s “better late than never” as the agency has been pushing for its passage for quite sometime.
Mr Kapito stated that the Agency in the past, presented a document for the ministry of trade to look at it as a policy. He explained that the ministry “took it and retuned it” but unfortunately, it wasn’t passed owing to a change of government in 2008.
“I’m hoping that this promise by the caretaker minister honorable Abu Jinapor will push this thing before the end of 2024. If not, we have to start all over again because the moment parliament changes, new parliamentarians come in and you have to start again… Let me applaud the caretaker minister once again that at least, he has made a big news about it… I see the zeal in him and I’m hoping that he will see to it that it passes before this parliament goes out of business in 2024. If not, it’s going to be Deja vu.”
Kofi Kapito
Mr Kapito indicated that although the commitment to ensuring the bill is passed has been frustrating, he will not blame anyone. He stated that it suggests even Ghanaians were not very much aware of their rights as consumers until the CPA took it upon itself to make it newsworthy, eliciting media attention.
Additionally, he expressed that this administration must commit itself to the fulfilment of the promise it made to Ghanaians.
“The funny thing is, this is where I was a little disappointed, we are talking about industrialization. Industrialization without the protection of the consumer will not get us anywhere. So, in 2012, it was even in the manifesto of the NPP-led Nana Addo campaign that they will pass the consumer protection bill and I was delighted… We’ve been there before, I’ve seen it before and I’ve engaged the MPs committee on trade one or two times that it was promised and everybody knows it’s a good deal because the rights of the consumer should be protected.”
Kofi Kapito
Protecting the rights of consumers
Commenting on the gap between consumers and businesses, Mr Kapito highlighted that when consumers buy something from a store with receipt as proof of purchase, it becomes difficult for consumers to make any change as they are often met with “goods sold are not returnable”. To this, he emphasized that in other jurisdictions, this wouldn’t have posed any real problem.
“As long as it hasn’t been damaged [and] it’s within the stipulated amount of days, I have the right to return it… All these things, contracts, delivery time [and] promises do not allow Ghana’s economy to grow. Why should I come and purchase something from a company [and not receive professional treatment]?.”
Kofi Kapito
The CPA CEO revealed that in Ghana, “people don’t care” anymore and businesses behave as if they are doing consumers a favor. He however noted that if consumers are well-informed and well-educated, they are in the best position to let businesses know that they need them because without them, there’s no business.
Presenting a policy statement on consumer protection in parliament yesterday, February 15, 2023, caretake of the trades ministry, Samuel Jinapor, stated that with the coming into force of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, and Ghana as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, consumer protection law has become more important.
Responding to this, Mr Kapito expressed some optimism about his statement but questioned why the bill should be tied to AfCFTA before it can be passed because it has nothing to do with African trade. He explained that Ghana as a sovereign nation should have a consumer protection law regardless of it joining AfCFTA or not.
“Every country is an individual country and needs to protect its people. I don’t need to join a group before I can protect my people. I wish him luck and I hope that he can push it and believe me I will push him because it is very frustrating…”
Kofi Kapito
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