A new book shining a spotlight on the gaps in Ghana’s consumer protection laws has been launched in Accra, raising renewed questions about why the country still lacks a comprehensive legal framework to protect buyers and ensure fair market conduct.
The book titled “Consumer Rights and Justice in Ghana: A Legal Compass,” authored by Francisca Kusi Appiah, Vice Dean of the UPSA Law Faculty, was unveiled on the eve of World Competition Day.
The launch date was a symbolic moment that underscored the urgency of passing Ghana’s long-delayed Competition Bill.
Speaking at the launch as a reviewer, the West Africa Regional Director for CUTS International, Appiah Kusi Adomako, lauded the book as a “milestone” that captures 50 years of legal developments, sector weaknesses, and the everyday struggles of Ghanaian consumers.
He said the work arrives at a crucial time, when the country is still operating without the consumer protection and competition laws drafted as far back as 2005.
Lawyer Adomako noted that the book exposes a fragmented system where consumer rights, such as safety, information, redress, and fair value, are often violated because no single law binds institutions together.
Agencies like the FDA, GSA, NCA, and PURC only protect consumers within their limited sectors, leaving citizens confused and often without effective help when things go wrong.
He explained that the book’s real impact lies in how clearly it highlights anti-competitive practices in Ghana’s marketplace. From price fixing and collusive arrangements to abuse of dominance and output control, the Director said the absence of a competition law leaves markets undisciplined and small businesses vulnerable.
He stressed that the book brings these issues to life through relatable examples such as expired products on shelves, misleading labels, unfair billing in utilities, mobile money reversal challenges, and the rising control of powerful market players. These realities, he said, demonstrate exactly why Ghana needs a competition law that promotes fairness, innovation, and equal opportunity.
Describing the work as a “blueprint for reform,” Appiah Kusi Adomako urged policymakers and industry players to study the book and use it as a tool to drive the long-awaited passage of the stalled Competition Bill.
With Ghana obligated under the AfCFTA Competition Protocol to establish such a law, he believes the publication could play a meaningful role in shaping the national conversation.
