Trade Minister KT Hammond has stated that before the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to regulate cement prices was introduced, he had urged cement producers to lower their prices.
However, he noted that the producers did not respond to his appeals, which led to the introduction of the L.I. to enforce price reductions.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, June 26, he said “So I asked them to ensure that something was done about it. In my absence I was told that the minister was not going to be able to do anything. They would not listen. They would not do it. They will go the way they want. Well, I have only one other avenue. I mean encouraging them to do it is a moral persuasion.”
“If moral persuasion fails, there is a system in the country. There is a constitution in the country. We all play by rule of law. You come to parliament and you make sure that there are laws. We have the constitution. So if the constitution mandates me to bring an airline, I bring an airline to ensure that somebody abides by…err..errm…If we don’t accept the moral principle, at least some sort of economic principle. The good people of Ghana must benefit,” Mr Hammond expressed.
His comments come after the Executive Secretary of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG) Rev. Dr. George Dawson-Ahmoah said that Mr K T Hammond did not engage them the Legislative Instrument.
“Why is the Minister avoiding or just running away from this discussion? Previously, our position has been that these prices of cement, the increase of prices of cement, it is not done in a vacuum. It is not done just because we wake up in the morning and do it,” he said.