Import restrictions bill: Minority stabbed me in the back on pre-laying of LI – KT Hammond

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The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has expressed feelings of betrayal by the Minority after they rejected a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) that was set to be presented in parliament.

According to the minister, a consensus had been reached between the government and the Minority regarding the laying of the L.I., aimed at restricting the importation of strategic products into the country.

KT Hammond indicated that during a meeting chaired by Dominic Ayine, the only concerns raised by the Minority were related to specific items listed among the regulated products, not the Instrument itself.

He stated, “In that meeting chaired by Dominic Ayine, I tell you today, they [the Subsidiary Committee] added bits and pieces… their concern was on some items put on the L.I. The conclusion was that, subject to these suggestions they have raised, they were quite happy,” as reported by Accra-based JoyNews on Monday, November 27, 2023.

Furthermore, Hammond cited portions of the Committee report that indicated no reason to believe that the two draft regulations fell outside the parameters set under Article 11 Clause 7 of the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Describing the Minority Leader’s opposition to the L.I. as ‘duplicity,’ Hammond expressed his dismay at the turnaround.

“You get upset and at the end of the day, you think they are stabbing you in the back,” he added.

The lawmaker criticized the Minority’s reversal, considering the prior consensus reached before presenting the law in parliament.

He stated that going against the agreed-upon terms felt like a senseless move, especially considering that the L.I. was based on a substantive Act that had already been through parliament.

There was a heated exchange in parliament as KT Hammond engaged with the Minority over his attempt to lay the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) seeking to restrict the importation of 22 selected strategic products into the country on November 24.

The Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Banda, had also expressed dissatisfaction over an attempt by the House to ambush them with the L.I.

He said “Mr. Speaker, let it not be said that there is a conclusion for the L.I. to be laid. This L.I. is neither in the business statement for last week or this week. It always comes as a form of ambush in the house to do what should not be done.”

In his response, the Minister of Trade, Kobina Tahir Hammond, said he found it appaling.

“Mr. Speaker, I find it appalling that a member in this house could threaten a sitting competent and legally appointed Deputy Speaker of the house. It is in bad taste. He cannot blackmail you.

“The Speaker knew that the Minister has the constitutional right to raise it. They have no say in whether an L.I. is laid in this house or not, no one, with respect to the Speaker, the Speaker has no right over whether a Legislative Instrument is laid in this house; that is the constitution,” he added.

By: www.ghanaweb.com