GUTA President
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has raised issues about the Import Restrictions Bill, initiated by the Minister of Trade and Industry, KT Hammond.
The Bill, which seeks to limit the import of some strategic products, targets 22 selected strategic goods that would be restricted from entering the country.
K.T Hammond had planned to present the Legislative Instrument (LI) for approval, after holding pre-laying meetings with the Minority caucus.
However, the Minority strongly rejected the move, arguing that various business groups had petitioned Parliament to oppose the LI, emphasizing the need to address their concerns.
In agreement, President of GUTA, Dr. Joseph Obeng, speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Tuesday, said traders play a vital role in supplying essential goods to Ghanaians.
While Dr. Obeng stated that GUTA is not inherently against the LI, he expressed concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the objectives of the restrictions.
“The Ministry is not providing information on measures to support local production, reduce taxes, and lower prices for locally produced items. We are urging the Ministry to outline clear timelines, data, and a comprehensive plan detailing how the government intends to facilitate access to local production” he said.
Dr. Obeng stressed the need for measures to protect local manufacturers from possible abuse and ensure that locally produced goods are competitively priced.
Highlighting the absence of discussions on modalities, thresholds, and capacities, Dr. Obeng urged the Ministry to suspend the LI and engage stakeholders before implementation.
The GUTA President insisted that, government should communicate the purpose of the restrictions clearly, as lack of information raises more doubts about the real intent of the Bill.