Withdraw L.I on cement price regulation – Bagbin advises KT Hammond

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has advised Minister of Trade and Industry K.T. Hammond to withdraw the Legislative Instrument (L.I) on cement price regulation.

This advice follows constitutional arguments raised by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.

The L.I was laid before the House on July 2 and is expected to mature into law after 21 sitting days.

However, Tamale South MP Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the legal mandate of the Ghana Standards Authority to regulate prices.

“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.”

Following arguments from both sides of the House the Speaker advised the Trades Minister to withdraw the L.I

“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.”