John Awuni, the Executive Chairman of the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), has condemned the government's proposed import restrictions on selected products, describing it as a political tactic designed to benefit certain politicians.
According to him, the restriction would lead to food inflation and contribute to widespread corruption, a citinewsroom.com report has stated.
“This particular move of the government is a shot in their own foot. It is a move to create corruption and create money for a few people,” he said.
The executive chairman, questioned the rationale behind the initiative, emphasising its detrimental impact on the country's already struggling economy, particularly in the face of high food inflation.
“You cannot say you are restricting the import when you don’t have stock in your warehouses,” he remarked. Then again it is not as if you have never restricted import. You have already restricted imports to the extent that some of your products have over 60% tax on them. If this is not enough restriction to push your local production, what kind of restriction do you want?” he questioned.
The Ministry of Trade and Industries has presented a bill to parliament outlining the government's intention to impose import restrictions on 22 commodities, including poultry, animal and vegetable oils, margarine, fruit drinks, soft drinks, mineral water, noodles and pasta, and ceramic tiles.
Other items listed in the bill are corrugated paper and paperboard, mosquito coils, insecticides, soaps and detergents, motor cars, iron and steel, cement, polymers (plastics and plastic products), fish, sugar, clothing and apparel, biscuits, and canned tomatoes.
The government has defended its move as an effort to stimulate domestic production.
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Executive Chairman of the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), John Awuni