The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is accusing President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, of attempting to bring back 'kalabule' (cleaver bully, conditional sales, or restricted sales) in Ghana through import restrictions.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato
Forson at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, said the
Legislative Instrument (L.I) on the Export and Import (Restrictions on
Importation of Selected Strategic Product) Regulations, 2023) has the capacity
to bring corruption in the country.
The L.I is seeking to regulate the
importation of about 22 items, including poultry, rice, sugar, and diapers to
seek licences from a committee to be set up by the minister.
"Simply put, the proposed Import
Restrictions Regulations of the failed Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government, seeks
to grant unchecked discretionary power to the Minister for Trade, to solely
determine whether or not, to issue an import license to a person and to
restrict the quantity of certain imports into the country, as he deems
fit," he explained.
For him, the regulatory framework
proposed by the LI is not only opaque, but can lend itself to arbitrariness and
abuse, adding "This clearly, is going to be an avenue for extortion and
corruption if allowed to stand."
Dr Ato Forson further said the NDC
holds the view that the right to import essential commodities into the country
cannot be limited to the whims and caprices of a Minister of Trade and
Industry, his deputy or a certain Import Permit Committee, which will be
constituted by the Minister under Regulation (2) of the proposed regulations.
That, he noted, the proposed
regulations gravely offend some international trade treaties and protocols that
Ghana is a party to, pointing out that the regulation in its current form
contravenes the World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade facilitation agreement,
particularly on quantitative restrictions.
He added, "This could lead to
serious retaliatory action by our trade partners and eventually, affect exports
from Ghana."
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