The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has advised Minister of Trade and Industry K.T. Hammond to withdraw the Legislative Instrument (L.I.), which seeks to regulate cement prices.
The Speaker advised the Minister to withdraw the L.I. after former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu raised concerns about it.
The L.I. was laid before the House on July 2 and is expected to mature into law after 21 sitting days.
But Mr. Iddrisu, who is the Tamale South questioned the legal mandate of the Ghana Standards Authority to regulate prices.
He argued that the Standards Authority is mandated to regulate standards in the country and not the prices of goods or commodities.
“The Ghana Standard Authority Act 2022, Act 10 (78), section 80 uses the word sale, and advertising, this is pricing. Do they have a mandate to regulate based on the 80? That is constitutional. The Ghana Standards Authority is an institution to regulate standards not pricing. Mr Speaker, Ghana cannot go this low.”
The Speaker after listening to arguments from both sides of the House advised the Minister to withdraw.
He said the House has both agreed the bill has no legal basis hence the need for the Minister to withdraw it.
He also indicated that it was best he withdraws it since the House may not be able to get the two-thirds majority in annuling it.
“Honourable members the danger is that, by the standards set by Article 11 (7). This House may not be able to measure up to that two-thirds majority to annul an instrument that the House itself is convinced that has no legal basis. That is the challenge and danger.
“And so, I will advise, I’m not directing, that the sponsors of the instrument should take a second look at it. And if possible, withdraw and capture it in the appropriate language. To come within the statutory limits that we have, it’s just advice, it’s not a directive.”
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
