President of Food and Beverages Association of Ghana, Samuel Aggrey, has reacted to the Bank of Ghana's announcement on withdrawing forex support to importers of rice, poultry, toothpick, vegetable oil, pasta, fruit juice, ceramic tiles among other non-critical items.

The central bank said the new policy forms part of measures to fight the depreciation of the local currency - cedi.

Speaking on this new development on Starr News, Mr Aggrey wondered who advised government to take such a decision.

He said the new policy was not the best.

Samuel Aggrey stated that Ghana cannot produce enough of the aforementioned items for Ghanaians' perusal.

He further said the new directive by the central bank will lead to the shortage of the items as importers will not be willing to import them at a higher price

“The announcement made by the Bank of Ghana is not the best, we cannot even tell who is advising the government on such a policy. Because the very things that we seek to stop importing are something that we cannot raise enough for the country," he said.

"Therefore, if we try to put a stop to it then we are going to make other people poorer and food scarcity will set in. With what they have said, come next year it will be very difficult for importers to bring in these products to substitute the shortage that may come in,” Mr Aggrey added.

ESA/FNOQ

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