Parliament suspended the laying of a Legislative Instrument (L.I) intended to restrict the importation of selected strategic products into the country.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Kobina Tahir Hammond, had announced the intention to lay the L.I. targeted about 20 commodities during a press briefing on Monday, November 20.

However, during Thursday's proceedings, Speaker Alban Bagbin ruled that concerns related to the L.I. should be addressed before it was laid before the House.

Speaker Bagbin emphasized the need to resolve issues before proceeding, stating, “Laying of an instrument has nothing to do with numbers, but because of the nature of the instrument you laid and the constitutional and legal effects of the laying, you better meet, discuss and resolve the issues before we move on.”

The ruling came after demands by the Minority Caucus, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, for further engagement on the concerns surrounding the L.I.

The Minority Caucus argued that the regulation was not in the best interest of the country.

Among the items the government intended to restrict were rice, tripe (locally known as “yemuadie”), and diapers.

Minister Hammond explained, “Stomach of animals, bladder and the chunk of intestines (“yemuadie”), the country had to put in an amount of about $164 million towards the importation of these items.”

He clarified that the restrictions were part of the government's efforts to ensure food security, stating, “We are taking steps to ensure that in terms of rice, there's no poverty of rice in the country.”

The Minister also mentioned that there are about 22 items on the list, including diapers, and emphasized that the goal is to promote self-sufficiency, echoing the spirit of “Acheampong's operation feed ourselves.”