The 2021 national best farmer, Alhaji Mashud Mohammed, is calling for a cautious approach in implementing the Trade Ministry’s proposed import restrictions on 22 commodities.
According to him, the policy requires re-evaluation and gradual implementation to yield effective outcomes.
The CEO of Cudjoe Abimash Farms stressed the importance of educating Ghanaians about the advantages of consuming locally-made products, while gradually phasing in the restrictions.
The Trade and Industry Minister, KT Hammond, attempted to lay the import restrictions bill in Parliament last week but faced stiff opposition from Minority members who argued that the LI was dangerous and would adversely affect several businesses in the country.
The bill seeks to restrict the importation of 22 selected strategic products such as sugar, rice, poultry, and tripe into the country.
Speaking on the development, Alhaji Mashud wants the government to reduce the importation of those products systematically until it achieves a 0% target.
He believes this will position businesses adequately to receive the import restrictions gradually and prevent businesses from collapsing.
“On the restriction on rice imports into the country, it’s a very good step in the right direction. And as a farmer, we support that the government should do it. But we should have a plan, maybe in the next 5 years, what we should be doing. This year we can say we are reducing imports by 20%, the following year, by 40%. Then gradually, we become used to it. Then we conscientize Ghanaians about the quality of rice we have and then how tasty it is, before we begin to restrict all these things.
It will not be prudent for the government to just restrict the importations completely. If not, it will affect other people’s businesses and then chop bars and other groups of people who depend on it for their meat.
Let’s be more careful; prices of meat and food will go high, and people may not afford it. It should be systematic and not one time,” Alhaji Mashud Mohammed suggested.
