By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Majority group in Ghana’s Parliament has hinted that it will engage with the Minority caucus today, Monday, 27th, November 2023 to ensure the sanitization of the Import and Export Regulations 2023 for it to be laid.
The Legislative Instrument (LI), which seeks to restrict the importation of some selected strategic products such as rice, poultry, and sugar, was opposed by the Minority group for the second time when the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. K. T. Hammond attempted to lay it before the house.
Addressing some members of the Parliamentary Press Corps, after the aborted plan to lay the LI, the Majority Chief Whip, Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, maintained that he is hopeful of reaching a consensus with the minority to have the LI presented.
“Starting from Monday, I will personally get involved. It has been limited to subsidiary legislation and other constitutional bodies. We will also get involved and ensure that we sanitize it. Because we are not doing this with mischief, and because nobody has absolute control over what is good and what is not good… more than 90% of all the amendments proposed came from our side, specifically the Majority Leader.
So if it’s the case that we are engaging in abetment of crime and therefore on the quiet we are supporting Minister K.T Hammond to do the wrong thing, why would we come out and publicly make amendments?”
Meanwhile, some six business associations have also kicked against the LI asking Parliament to immediately reject it to allow for further consultations.
The groups under the umbrella name, Joint Business Consultative Forum include the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Chamber of Automobile Dealership Ghana (CADEG), and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) have petitioned Parliament over the bill.