A new report by CUTS International Accra, a research and advocacy think tank says that more than half of Ghanaian consumers are unaware of their rights, leaving them vulnerable to poor service, excessive charges, and ineffective complaint resolution.
The study revealed that 55.5% of telecom users, 55.98% of banking customers, and 76% of e-commerce shoppers were found to lack awareness of redress mechanisms. In the energy sector, over a quarter of electricity consumers (26.18%) had no knowledge of their rights.
Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako, West Africa Regional Director of CUTS International Accra, described the report as a “clarion call” for a unified Consumer Protection Act, stronger regulatory oversight, and enhanced consumer education.
He noted that the report had been in development for over a decade due to limited support from stakeholders, indicating a concerning lack of interest in consumer empowerment.
The findings revealed a significant trust deficit in regulatory bodies. Only 6.79% of telecom consumers expressed confidence in regulatory protections, while nearly 40% of banking customers were unaware of the sector’s regulator.
In aviation, 81.1% of respondents who experienced flight cancellations received no compensation, highlighting the ineffectiveness of current enforcement mechanisms.
Mr Justice Jones Dotse, Board Chair of CUTS Accra, emphasized that the report would not be left to “gather dust” but serve as a basis for deeper engagements with regulators and policymakers.
He assured that CUTS would collaborate with the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Bank of Ghana (BoG), the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), and other regulatory bodies to address consumer concerns.
The report calls for the swift passage of Ghana’s Consumer Protection Bill and the establishment of an independent Consumer Protection Authority to streamline oversight and enforcement.
Without urgent reforms, millions of Ghanaians will continue to suffer from inadequate services and limited access to effective complaint-resolution mechanisms.
