Competition and consumer protection to be safeguarded

The Consumer Unity and Trust Society International (CUTS) is taking measures to develop a sustainable competition policy and law for the country.

The society is in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) as part of its Competition Reforms in Key Markets for Enhancing Social and Economic Welfare in Developing Countries Project (CREW Project).


The Society held its Third National Reference Group Meeting on Wednesday, in order to take a closer look at key findings on research conducted by ISSER in the transport and staple food sector.


Mr Kofi Amenyah, Director, Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), appreciated CUTS for including Ghana amongst the list of countries where the CREW Project was been implemented.


He also thanked ISSER for the research it had undertaken in the two key sectors that affect the daily lives of Ghanaians, namely Bus Transport and Maize.


Mr Amenyah stated that the CREW Project had shown some competition distortions in the market which affect both consumers and producer welfare according to ISSER, and that the role of government is to makie sure that the playing field is even and that no one takes advantage of the other.

‘For us at the MoTI, our actions through policies and regulation would impact positively in the two sectors in making sure that consumer welfare is protected.


This is to say that MoTI handles the issues of competition and consumer protection in the country’ he said.


Mr Amenyah added that Cabinet has approved the Consumer Protection Bill for onward forwarding to Parliament, and hoped it would be passed the next year.


The last gathering of the CREW National Reference Group meeting took place in July at the University of Ghana where ISSER presented its findings on research into the transport and staple food sector