Criminal Penalties Deter Digital Innovation

This provision criminalizes unauthorized provision of "reserved postal functions" with imprisonment up to three years and substantial fines (250-1,000 penalty units), creating severe barriers for digital innovation in logistics and delivery services. Digital platforms, peer-to-peer delivery apps, and innovative courier services face criminal liability for market entry rather than administrative penalties, deterring experimentation and testing of new business models. The provision's reference to reserved functions "specified in the Schedule" creates regulatory uncertainty for digital entrepreneurs who cannot determine whether their services fall within the criminalized zone, while the incomplete penalty specification (blank minimum term) makes risk assessment impossible. This criminal enforcement of Ghana Post's monopoly contrasts sharply with global trends toward digital disruption in postal/logistics services and exceeds typical OECD regulatory approaches.