The Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has disagreed with Speaker Bagbin’s call for the withdrawal of the Legislative Instrument aimed at regulating cement production and pricing.
The Speaker called for the withdrawal of the Legislative Instrument proposed by the Trade Minister, K.T. Hammond on cement pricing due to constitutional concerns raised by former minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
However, the Effutu lawmaker rebutted that, the claims by Haruna Iddrisu are without basis, thus, the call for withdrawal is unwarranted and unnecessary because the Subsidiary Legislation Committee has been addressed in the revised instrument.
“Every concern raised by members of the Subsidiary Legislation and in respect of amendment to the L. I got incorporated into the new L.I., so nothing is outstanding as it is today, based on the deliberation report from the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, we have come out with the new LI. So nothing is outstanding and I don’t see how the minister would have to withdraw this again”, Afenyo-Markin said.
He reiterated that, the instrument does not intend to control cement prices, as some MPs have claimed.
“One of their [Minority] colleagues misled the house by saying that we are by this instrument seeking to control prices of cement. This is not going to do so, you’re interpreting the documents, you don’t just read a long title, and you don’t read a heading and then assume that is what the document says.”
