A new report by CUTS International Accra, a research and advocacy think-tank, suggests that about half of Ghanaian consumers lack awareness of their rights, leaving them vulnerable to poor service, excessive charges and ineffective complaint resolution.
Its findings show that 55.5 percent of telecom users, 55.98 percent of banking customers and 76 percent of e-commerce shoppers are unaware of redress mechanisms, while over a quarter of electricity consumers (26.18 percent) have no knowledge of their rights.
The report, ‘The State of Ghanaian Consumers’, is based on a survey of 1,795 consumers across 10 regions and revealed a deep gap between consumer expectations and regulatory enforcement.
Unfortunately, low awareness and weak redress mechanisms allow service providers to operate with minimal accountability, often to the detriment of consumers.
The West Africa Regional Director-CUTS International, Mr. Appiah Kusi Adomako, stated that the report captures realities of consumer experiences, evaluates existing protection frameworks and offers actionable recommendations to empower Ghanaians in the marketplace.
It is a clarion call for a unified Consumer Protection Act coupled with stronger regulatory oversight and enhanced consumer education to address awareness gaps.
Interestingly, it took the report 11 years in the making because of apathy from many stakeholders.
The study found that awareness of consumer protection laws is alarmingly low across all major sectors. In telecommunications, only one in ten (11.71 percent) consumers reported limited knowledge about their rights, while 30.91 percent had no knowledge at all.
In spite of frequent complaints about poor network quality, slow internet speeds and sudden credit loss, the majority of consumers (55.5 percent) do not know where to seek redress.
Also, in banking – where unauthorised transactions, high fees and poor customer service were top concerns – 55.98 percent of respondents had no knowledge of complaint resolution mechanisms.
Nearly 40 percent did not know which authority regulates the sector, while 48.33 percent had little understanding how to address disputes. For online shoppers, the situation is even more severe.
While fraud (34 percent) and unauthorised transactions remain common, 76 percent of respondents are unsure if any e-commerce consumer protection laws exist. The electricity sector faces similar problems, with 26.18 percent of consumers completely unaware of their rights and 34.18 percent possessing very little knowledge.
Finally, the report highlighted deep consumer distrust in the nation’s regulatory framework. In the telecom sector, only 6.79 percent of respondents believe regulators are effectively protecting their interests.
