Private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, has called for a mediation between cement manufacturers and the government.
This is in light of the defiance of the manufacturers to government’s intention to regulate the price of cement.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir (KT) Hammond, submitted a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to Parliament to legalise the price regulation.
The L.I., according to the Minority, could not be accepted because the Minister failed to observe a convention called ‘pre laying’.
The Cement Manufacturers Association, has also kicked against the move, saying the outfit was not consulted in the process.
But the Minister, KT Hammond, has indicated in an interview with TV3’s Beatrice Adu, that the Association was contacted for deliberation but failed to honour the meeting.
The Adansi Asokwa Member of Parliament had explained that the members of the Association indicated they didn’t want to be captured by the media as having a deliberation with the government.
This, according to the Minister, was the reason the Ministry and the manufacturers couldn’t have any engagement on the matter.
But speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, July 06, 2024, the lawyer noted that the parties “should get a mediator now that it appears the two sides cannot engage themselves.”
“There are lots of colossuses in the system that they can reach out to do some back-channel communication so that they can talk.
“I empathise with the Minister because in Ghana we are not well organised. So, there are a lot of manufacturers and producers fleecing us. People make 200% and 300% profit and they say Accra is about the seventh (7th) most expensive city in Africa.”
He added that although it is true that the globe is battling cost of living crisis, the situation in Ghana is worse considering the rate of inflation and others.
“I’m happy that efforts are being made to regulate the price of cement [because] there is no country that the government allows businesses to set prices willy-nilly” adding that he nonetheless respects the interplay of demand and supply in an economy.
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