Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) was born out of the need for the Ghana’s consumer to be represented by the recognized body. As our economy has become increasingly industrial and product and services more diverse, the national system of standard, checks and balances are being tested.
CPA is here to increase public awareness and enhance the appropriateness and effectiveness of this system, while facilitating enforcement. Our goal is to aid Ghana Policymakers in the enforcement, management and measurement of basic standards, in the long term, we believe this will ensure that the right of customers and consumers and corporate alike, are respected in all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
Ghana is now an active participant in the global market both as a producer and a purchaser. It is crucial that we match our standard, policies and enforcement to existing international best practices. If Ghana is to remain an active participant in this market, all standards, industrial, commercial, service and logistic must be comparable to those in the developed countries.
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5TH JUNE 2024.
PRESS RELEASE.NO JUSTIFICATION FOR INCREMENT IN UTILITY TARIFFS IN VIEW OFECONOMIC HARDSHIP.
The Consumer Protection Agency has been made aware of a purported upward adjustment of electricity between 5% to 6% as announced by the PURC and to take effect from 1st July 2024.
Though the CPA whole heartedly agree that it is the mandate of the PURC to determine prices for utilities in every quarter, we sincerely believe that the current increase in electricity tariff will have dire consequences on consumers and should be reconsidered.
The present economic conditions of the country have become very harsh on industry and final consumers and any increase in electricity tariff will definitely affect every sector of the economy and it is the final consumer that has to take brunt of it all. Just as it happened in the past where some government intervened on behalf of consumers of this country, we are also calling on the President to intervene on behalf of Ghanaian consumers that we are being pushed to our last limits.
More so if the main factor of the increase is the rise oft he dollar, then every increase in the country is justified as we all use the dollar in our trade and commerce. Though we know that these are part of the recommendation of the IMF program we strongly believe that we should weigh the impact on the economy as a whole than that of the directive.
6TH MAY, 2024.
CPA COMMENDS FDA ON THE CLAMPDOWN ON DEFECTIVE AND UNREGISTERED DIAPERS ON THE MARKET CAUSING SEVERE HEALTH HAZARDS FOR BABIES IN THE COUNTRY.
The Consumer Protection Agency greatly commend the FDA on the action taken to cramp down on defective and cheap diapers on the market named ‘FAKE DIAPERS 'These diapers upon research by the CPA on several markets failed the microbial test conducted on them.
Upon further investigations it was discovered that these diapers are those that are rejected during production in their home countries meant for destruction but Ghanaians find their way to buy it cheap and import them into the country for human use.
It was also discovered that because these products are rejected and found among trash it becomes contaminated even before packaging them into these plain polyethylene bags before shipping. Also, where they are kept becomes a factor thereby showing these high results of failure in microbial test. Upon several complaints from mothers across the country in relations to skin rushes and discomfort when some diapers are used on their children, the CPA decided to do intensive research on baby diapers onto he market.
The CPA’s research centered on 5 regional capitals in the country namely Greater Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Sefwi Wiawso and Sunyani. Some of these babies had severe Nappy rush around the anus and genitalia from mild to severe infections which not treated well could be fatal.
We are therefore calling on all Ghanaians, especially mothers who patronize these sub-standard products to stop immediately ,we urge them to purchase recognized and approved brands of diapers to save their children from further harm.
We are also calling on the Minister of health to declare a medical emergency to use every means necessary to stop these defective and sub-standard diapers being imported into the country. END.
Benjamin Boakye, Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), posited that “dumsor” is a persistent issue in the country due to a lack of funds for plant operations, stating that the more debt managers of the economy pile up, the greater the precariousness of the situation.“How does “dumsor” become a thing of the past? is here and has been here.
If you don’t have money to run the plants, the problems will be there, and we have seen the problems exist and are pretending that they don’t exist. For me, if you are an industry watcher, that is what is even more worrying because the more debt you pile, the more precarious the sector gets.
You may have power plants, but you can’t put fuel in them; you can’t get them running, and the worst of it is that when you politically run them, what it means is that you are sacrificing development to buy fuel for power plants that should be run economically by those who are consuming the power,” he explained.Mr. Boakye proposed that the power sector should ideally be managed and run by the private sector instead, adding that the government cannot both run and regulate the sector.
via; sikamantimes
FDA deserves praise for clampdown on unregistered diapers
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has recently undertaken significant work cracking down on fake, unregistered diapers imported into the Ghanaian market. These counterfeit diapers pose serious health and environmental risks. It seems that a group of importers , intent on flouting Ghana's laws , are importing theses product to make quick profits at the expense of public health
via; Ghanaweb
The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has issued a stern warning to the general public, particularly mothers, urging them to remain vigilant against counterfeit and unhygienic diapers being circulated in the market. This caution comes in response to recent alerts from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) regarding the importation of unsanitary baby diapers.
The FDA's warning prompted the seizure and subsequent destruction of numerous 40-foot containers of confiscated diapers discovered at a recycling plant in Ashaiman.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, May 30, Kofi Kapito, the CEO of the Agency, underscored the significant health hazards posed by these substandard diapers, particularly to infants and young children. Mr Kapito stressed the importance of ensuring that diapers meet stringent hygiene and safety standards to safeguard the well-being of consumers. "There are companies who intentionally bring in these fake diapers which don’t meet the standard so we are creating awareness to let parents know that the fact that the diaper is cheap doesn’t mean it is of good quality.
"Let us squeeze ourselves if we can because the cost to the parents might be more because they bought a cheap diaper...it may cause some internal illness for your child which will cost you more to treat and I am pleading with the public to be careful," he cautioned. He commended the FDA for swiftly and decisively removing these illicit products from circulation, thereby safeguarding consumer safety. "I am happy that when the Food and Drugs Authority do their post-market inspection, it can identify that somebody brought in a product that is not even registered and so let us applaud the Authority.”
To create an atmosphere where consumers, manufactures and service providers will have the conducive atmosphere in relating to each other.
To see to the passage of the consumer bill that will establish the consumer commissioner in dealing with consumer complaints in Ghana as a whole.
KOFI KAPITO, CEO.
