Government to restrict the importation of some 22 items

The Minister of Trade and Industry, K. T. Hammond, is expected to lay before Parliament today an improved version of the Legislative Instrument (L.I) on the Export and Import (Restrictions on Importation of Selected Strategic Product) Regulations, 2023, after it was blocked last week over the lack of quorum and consultation.

The L.I will compel importers of 22 restricted items, including poultry, rice, sugar, diapers and animal intestines (yemuadie) to seek licences from a committee to be set up by the minister.

The Minority in Parliament has, on three occasions, resisted the laying of the L.I on the ground that it was not only dangerous but violated international trade practices and could give too much powers to the minister, a situation which has the propensity to breed corruption.

In order to seek broader consultation and have the buy-in of industry players, leadership of the House led by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, called for “backdoor” discussions after heated arguments on the L.I from both sides of the House last Friday.

Even before the laying today, both sides of the House agreed last Friday to sit on weekends to be able to meet the 21 days requirement for it to mature before the House rises on December 22.

Business Statement

The L.I and the extension of debate on the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government for the 2024 financial year remain the topmost agenda in Parliament this week.

Presenting the Business Statement to the House last Friday, the Majority Chief Whip, Mr Annoh-Dompreh, who is also the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, announced an extension of the debating time to Wednesday, November 29, from Tuesday, November 28.

The decision, he said, was to allow more members especially the backbenchers to contribute to the motion for the approval of the budget.

The last day, per the practice, is reserved for the leaders of both sides of the House.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh said due to the limited time available to Parliament to consider and approve the list of business scheduled for the Meeting, the Business Committee urged the Ministry of Finance and other ministries to endeavour to submit to Parliament the estimates of ministries early enough for consideration of same and approval by the House.

The Business Committee also entreated all other committees to endeavour to commence consideration of the budget estimates of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

“The foregoing recommendations are expected to enable the expeditious consideration of the budget estimates and the passing of the Appropriation Bill, 2023,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh told the House.

Ministers

Also expected to be on the Order Paper this week are seven Ministers of State scheduled to appear before the House to answer various questions.

In all, 67 questions are expected to be answered, nine of them urgent.

Among the questions is one to be asked by the National Democratic Congress MP for South Tongu, Kobena Mensah Woyome, is how the Minister of Works and Housing,  will ensure the resettlement of the victims of the recent Akosombo Dam spillage.

The rest of the ministers scheduled to appear before the House are those in charge of Education, Food and Agriculture, Communication and Digitalisation, Trade and Industry, Finance, and Youth and Sports.