GUTA petitions Parliament over ban on importation of used electrical appliances

The leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has petitioned Parliament over the government’s decision to ban the importation of about 20 electrical appliances.

The Energy Commission which is implementing the policy explains the move is to ensure energy conservation as well as curb the dumping of electronic waste into the country.

But speaking to the media after meeting the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, the President for GUTA, Dr Alfred Obeng stated the implications of the policy on the country have not been carefully considered and thus must be aborted.

“If we say that we are banning used goods, then we are in effect saying that electronic goods in the system that are in use in people’s homes that have reached about ten years automatically we have to take measures to take those goods out of the households. Is that what we are saying? It means that we have described what should not be used in the country.

“It has to transcend even into the homes because if you are doing something to solve a problem then it doesn’t mean whether the thing is coming from outside or it’s already in our household. So all that we are saying is that we are using science to decipher what should not be allowed to disturb our energy consumption and the populace in Ghana,” Mr Obeng stated.

Chairman for the committee Samuel Atta Akyea wondered why Ghana seems to be the only country in the sub-region implementing such a policy.

Deputy ranking member for the committee Dela Sowah asked the government to find a middle ground with stakeholders on the policy.

Ranking member John Jinapor disclosed that officials of the Energy Commission will be summoned before parliament over the matter.