The caretaker Minister for the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, has informed parliament about an upcoming Consumer Protection Bill, which will be laid before the House for consideration after Cabinet approval.
This is in line with article 35 clause 2 which requires the state to seek the welfare of all citizens.
The Minister, who disclosed this on the floor of parliament on Wednesday, noted that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has urged the country to establish a functional consumer protection regime to protect consumers and enshrine their rights in the marketplace.
He asserted that the government was working hard to ensure the passage of a Consumer Protection Bill into law to meet these international obligations.
Mr Jinapor acknowledged that while many efforts had been made in the past, resulting in the establishment of institutions to protect consumer rights, the country had not been able to develop a singular piece of legislation for this course.
“A legal framework is urgently needed to ensure that consumers get good value for money” he added.
In a response to the Minister, the Speaker of Parliament and Members from both the Majority and Minority sides commended him for being proactive in informing Parliament about upcoming policies to be laid before the House.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
