According to the associations, the legislative instrument in its current form will only foster corruption within the system and affect imports in the country.
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6 business groups petition Parliament to reject L.I for import restriction
About six business associations have petitioned Parliament to oppose the proposed legislative instrument (L.I.).
Parliament of Ghana
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The groups are, the Joint Business Consultative Forum includes the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA), Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Chamber of Automobile Dealership Ghana (CADEG), and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI).
This comes after the Ministry of Trade and Industries presented a bill to parliament, aiming to limit the importation of essential items, including popular goods like 'yemuadie' known as animal intestines.
The bill, if passed, will restrict the importation of 22 products in the country.
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The ministry aims to enhance the local economy and promote domestic producers by creating a market for their goods. Importers interested in bringing in the listed items must obtain certification from the ministry before importing them into the country.
K.T. Hammond
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However, the six business associations in a petition dated November 26, the business six associations argued that if passed, the L.I. will adversely affect the prices of goods, and the free flow of goods, and could also cripple businesses.
The groups, therefore, called on Parliament to reject the bill.
"We vehemently oppose this LI and would appreciate its immediate rejection by Parliament to allow for proper consultations and dialogue to take place," the group said.
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"We strongly oppose this LI on the following grounds: The price of most products mentioned in the Ministry of Trade and Industry policy proposal will result in serious price hikes, as competition will be severely restricted.
"They stressed that the Minister is the ultimate decision maker on which companies end up trading in each of these items. This will eventually lead to a monopolistic or oligopolistic position for a few select businesses in the country at the expense of many smaller businesses."
"They also expressed fear that the permit system will hinder the flow of goods from other countries.
"The permit system will definitely hinder the flow of goods from exporting countries to receivers in Ghana since importers would no longer be able to rely on market demands to dictate the quantities to be ordered, as companies will be at the whims of the Minister of Trade and Industry."
"Typically, orders would normally take a minimum of 3 months from purchase date to delivery, assuming there is no bureaucratic involvement in the decision-making process."
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The L.I seeks to restrict the importation of some selected strategic products such as rice, poultry, diapers, and other product.
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