Book Insight

Daftar Isi

A Comprehensive Guide to Consumer Rights and Justice in Ghana

The book Consumer Rights and Justice in Ghana: A Legal Compass by Francisca Kusi-Appiah, PhD, offers a detailed exploration of the legal landscape surrounding consumer protection in Ghana. As a textbook with 547 pages, it is a valuable resource for students, legal professionals, and policymakers alike. The author’s deep understanding of the subject is evident through her extensive research and practical experience in the field.

The book provides an in-depth analysis of the current consumer protection system in Ghana. It outlines the sources of consumer protection law, identifies gaps within the country’s fragmented legal framework, and highlights the risks consumers face in various sectors. The table of contents alone demonstrates the breadth of the work, covering areas such as goods, food, pharmaceuticals, energy, water, waste, housing, telecommunications, healthcare, finance, transport, tourism, e-commerce, cybersecurity, enforcement mechanisms, and international frameworks.

One of the key strengths of the book is its historical perspective on consumer protection in Ghana. Chapter 1 traces the evolution of consumer rights, drawing on both common law cases like Donoghue v Stevenson and local cases such as Morkor v Kuma. This chapter sets the stage for understanding the development of consumer rights and the duty of care obligations that have shaped legal interpretations over time.

Chapter 2 delves into the history of consumer protection from Ghana’s independence up to the Fourth Republic. It documents the roles of key institutions such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC). The author explains how the absence of a dedicated consumer protection act has forced regulators to rely on sector-specific rules. She also emphasizes the role of civil society organizations, including CUTS International Accra, which has played a critical role in advocating for consumer rights in the absence of strong statutory protections.

The most significant contribution of the book lies in its detailed sector-by-sector analysis. Chapter 3 covers manufactured goods, food, and pharmaceuticals, outlining the consumer rights that arise in each sector and the enforcement mechanisms that support them. Issues such as labeling, defects, counterfeit products, food safety, and drug regulation are thoroughly reviewed.

Chapter 4 focuses on public utilities, explaining consumer rights in electricity, water, waste management, housing, and telecommunications. The analysis is practical, showing the links between regulatory failures and the daily struggles of Ghanaian consumers. Chapter 5 shifts to health, banking, insurance, and transport, addressing issues such as patient rights, fair lending, contract fairness in banking, and road safety. The discussion on road safety aligns with the national debate on making road crashes a public health issue, drawing attention to rights to information and rights against discrimination.

The chapter on emerging issues gives useful attention to digital markets. Chapter 6 examines e-commerce, mobile money, cybersecurity, privacy, and virtual currency. It highlights the rising risks of fraud, data breaches, and unfair terms in online trade. The book draws on Ghana’s Electronic Transactions Act, the Data Protection Act, and the Cybersecurity Act, reflecting the current realities as more Ghanaians shift to digital platforms for goods and services.

Chapter 7 provides a thorough review of the Consumer Protection Bill, 2022. This section stands out as an important policy contribution, outlining the rights proposed under the Bill, the duties of suppliers, the role of the Consumer Protection Authority, and the sanctions for violations. The book makes a strong case for the Bill to be reintroduced and passed, emphasizing the need for a consolidated law to align Ghana with global best practices and protect the market from unfair practices.

The final chapter addresses international and regional consumer protection frameworks, analyzing those under ECOWAS, AfCFTA, SADC, COMESA, the European Union, ASEAN, and the United Nations. This comparative section strengthens the message that consumer protection is now a global governance issue, highlighting how cross-border transactions, digital trade, and regional economic integration affect the Ghanaian consumer. The link to AfCFTA is particularly useful, given Ghana’s role as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Beyond its content, the book has strong practical value. It serves as a manual for businesses, consumers, regulators, and policymakers, laying out clear rights, obligations, offences, and enforcement structures. It explains the limits of current laws and the risks of weak enforcement, equipping regulators and civil society with reference material. It provides students and researchers with a structured framework for studying consumer protection and supports businesses that want to comply with standards. It also gives consumers accurate information about their rights.

This book fills a major gap in the literature on consumer rights and justice in Ghana. It is a comprehensive resource for training, advocacy, and policy reform. The author’s work adds to the academic discourse and serves as a practical guide for the marketplace. It strengthens the call for the passage of a strong consumer protection law.

The book is highly recommended for regulators, policymakers, legal practitioners, business leaders, and every student of consumer law. It brings clarity to a fragmented system, provides structure for future reforms, and is an essential text for a country that aims to protect consumers and build fair markets.