Mr. Lartey established a number of businesses, including the Lartey and Lartey Books and Stationary, which later became the nucleus of the Ghana Book Supply, Citadel Printing Press and the Federal Stores of Nigeria. His political carrier started in 1969 when he contested the Gomoa East Constituency seat on the ticket of the National Alliance of Liberals (NAL). In 1972 he was appointed a special adviser to the government of the National Redemption Council. In 1978 he represented the Gomoa Ewutu-Effutu in the constituent assembly in the writing of the Third Republican Constitution.

Mr. Lartey was a founding member of People's National Party (PNP) in 1979, was an aspiring presidential candidate of the National Independence Party (NIP) in 1992.