Licensing regime for import restrictions archaic; it will breed corruption – Minority

The Minority in Parliament has said the Legislative Instrument seeking to restrict the importation of selected strategic goods into the country is an outmoded licensing regime by the government and could breed corruption.

On Thursday, Parliament suspended the laying of the Legislative Instrument by the Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T Hammond, for further engagement with the Minority caucus following concerns raised by the group.

Speaking to journalists, the Ranking Member on the Trade and Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, asserted that the introduction of the import restrictions bill shows that the government’s One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) policy has failed to live up to expectations.

He advised the government to focus on addressing the country’s import bill.

“We are not able to say that as a result of the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F), we are not importing into Ghana one of these products. We are not able to say that because of Planting for Food and Jobs after we spent all these billions, we have solved all these problems. If we want to solve the problem of our import bill, the reasons why this is being done, we must address it honestly.”

“But to go back to a very discredited and outmoded licensing regime that has created corruption. You don’t put politicians in charge of issuing licenses; you know what the outcome will be. We have gone past that,” Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said.

-citinewsroom