Minority reacts to government's suspension of import restriction L.I

The Minority in Parliament has reacted to the government's decision to suspend the Legislative Instrument (LI) that sought to impose restrictions on the importation of 22 essential items.

According to the caucus, the LI would breed corruption, because it has invested discretionary power in the hands of one person, particularly the Minister of Trade and Industry.

The LI, which was withdrawn from Parliament by the government, aimed to regulate the importation of abut 22 essential commodities to support local industries.

In a statement signed by the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the caucus expressed reservations about the arbitrary nature of the proposed import restrictions.

“The Minority has always maintained that these regulations will breed corruption, because not only are they arbitrary and opaque but they are designed to encourage arbitrary exercise of discretionary power in the hands of one person, particularly the Minister of Trade and Industry.

“We have argued that by vesting too much unfettered and unchecked power in the Minister to determine who qualifies or not to be granted a permit to import into the country as many as twenty (24) commodities, the regulations lend themselves to abuse of power, state capture and rent-seeking conduct reminiscent of the days of ‘essential commodities’ and ‘price control’,” part of the statement read.

The Minority further argued that vesting significant discretionary power in the hands of a single individual could lead to abuse of power, state capture, and rent-seeking conduct reminiscent of past practices such as 'essential commodities' and 'price control.'

The statement emphasised the need for a regulatory framework that ensures checks and balances to prevent undue concentration of power.

“Indeed, various stakeholders including the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana, Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Chamber of Automobile Dealership Ghana and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have all joined us in all kicking against these proposed import restrictions.

The Minority in principle is not against any legal regime or policy that seeks to protect indigenous businesses by regulating imports. What we are vehemently against is a law that confers unfettered discretionary power on a single individual, in this case a Minister of Trade, to issue import licences and to restrict the quantity of certain imports into the country, without any checks and balances,” the minority added.

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