MPs were instigated by constituents against cashew ban – Spio

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekow Spio-Garbrah, says the criticisms he received from parliamentarians for placing a temporary band on the exportation of cashew nuts in the country, was triggered by pressure from the constituents in the areas the product is cultivated.

He said he suspects that cashew farmers from the 29 constituencies in the Brong Ahafo Region were those who led the crusade against the ban, spearheaded by their MPs.

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“I think Parliamentarians were instigated by the farmers and the growers who would naturally call their MPs and say that they’ve had an arrangement with the buyer… It turns out that many of the growers have either taken money from the buyers who had given them credit to expand their farms or to buy various inputs in a bid to sell their cashews to them.”

“…So with those arrangements being made, to disconnect from that person who was giving you credit and feed the local industry was quite a discomfort. But those are the private arrangements that some of the cashew farmers make,” he added.

Mr. Spio-Garbrah was last week criticized in Parliament for issuing a directive to ban the exportation of raw cashew nuts in the country.

He had argued that the order was to boost the local processing sector and to create jobs saying it was in the best interest of the nation.

However, the directive was suspended following the massive public uproar.

Speaking on The Ghana Report on Viasat one, the Trade Minister said although he bears no grudges against the MPs for being hostile over his directive, he suggested they may have taken that action because they were not privy to the information he had.

He further noted that if they wanted an explanation on the matter, they could have invited him to Parliament.

“If all they had to do was to have the ban suspended they could do it in so many ways; whether calling me to the floor of Parliament, sending me a letter or making a phone call, but I will not personalize it as being me,” he added.

Source: citifmonline.com