Majority and Minority Crush over K.T Hammond’s LI

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The Majority and Minority disagreed with the laying of the Legislative Instrument by the Minister of Trades and Industry, Hon. K.T Hammond.

The move, according to the Minister, forms part of efforts to regulate the prices of cement, which has become a major public concern.

As part of the terms of the L.I, cement manufacturing companies are expected to provide details on their price build up, failure of which could lead to some sanctions, including custodian sentences.

But on the floor of parliament, the Minority led by its former leader, Haruna Iddrisu warned against the constitutionality of such legislation.

He requested that the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation present a report on L.I on the floor for parliament for debate as representatives of the people, before the expiration of the 21 days, before the L.I matures.

He argued that the Standards Authority do not have the mandate to control prices and that the rising cost of the commodity was as results of market forces.

This view is affirmed by a former deputy Minister of Energy, and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, HON. IBRAHIM MURTALA MUHAMMED who denied knowledge of changes that have been effected to the bill, as a results of parliament’s request for the LI to undergo a pre-laying.

HE also called on the Minister of Trade to engage the cement manufactures before attempting to lay same in parliament.

The Majority Leader, on his part, disagreed with the Minority’s position that the bill should go through a pre- laying stage before the L.I matures.
According to the Majority Leader, although pre laying requirement is not constitutionally binding, the Minister painstakingly subjected himself to it, and further included all amendment discussed in the revised L.I.

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