Business owners who plan to import items under the government’s planned import limitations bill are expected to submit a request for clearance to the Trades Committee of Parliament, according to Minister of Trade and Industry K.T. Hammond.

He stressed that the goal of the proposed import limits bill on 22 goods is to promote local production and consumption rather than to cause food shortages.

The commodities that are included in the proposed limits are diapers, rice, and tripe, which is commonly referred to as “yemuadie.”

The Trade Minister revealed that the committee will take into account variables like the total sum of money at stake, the nation’s production potential, and the disparity between local output and consumption.

Before the Legislative Instrument is laid, industry participants, such as the Ghana Union of Traders Association, have urged the government to interact more widely with stakeholders.

“You apply to the committee and explain to them that you want to bring in this amount of quantity. The committee might then want to understand the amount of money involved. And thereafter, because the Agric Ministry and everybody is on board, the committee then will want to ascertain how much quantity the country can afford.

“The gap between the locally produced rice and consumption and depending on that, you will be allowed the opportunity to import. At the same time, it’s intended to help the economy develop and also to conserve some foreign reserves.” KT Hammond told Citi News.