CUTS international Ghana, an advocacy group championing consumer rights has once again bemoaned the delay in passing the Consumer Protection Law.

According to the association, the bill has gone through reviews from four presidents, yet the progress has painstakingly been slow.

CUTS International Ghana stated that it is evidently clear that the absence of Consumer Protection Law in the country has contributed to the widespread and deliberate abuse of consumer rights.

In a statement issued ahead of the World Consumer Rights Day observation on March 15, CUTS International Ghana said, whilst the government has on many occasions promised to protect Ghanaian businesses from foreign firms, nothing of that sort has been done to protect the interest of the over 30 million Ghanaians who buy and consume goods and services.

It added that it will organize a virtual event on Friday to advocate for the speedy passage of the Consumer Protection Policy and Law and also ensure consumer welfare through effective regulatory actions.

The meeting is expected to bring together, regulatory authorities, practitioners, academic experts, government representatives, development partners, business associations and consumer organizations to push for the passage of the law.

“The CUTS-UPSA World Consumer Rights Day Celebration on Friday, March 17, 2023 will be on the theme ‘Protecting the Welfare of Ghanaian Consumers in the Absence of a Functioning Consumer Protection Law”, the statement signed by CUTS, Accra West African Regional Director, Appiah Kusi Adomako said.

World Consumer Rights Day is a special occasion celebrated on March 15 every year as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs.

On the day, governments around the globe spread awareness about consumers’ rights and needs.

The day also seeks to draw attention to market malpractices, which undermine the rights of consumers and what more can be done to empower buyers.