Adnan Adams Mohammed
In restoring the hopes of Ghanaians in the Ghanaian economy and improved living standards, President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his commitment to create decent and well-paying jobs for Ghanaians.
He vowed to prioritize the welfare of Ghana’s youth, focusing on job creation to tackle the country’s unemployment rate during his swearing-in ceremony last week.
While acknowledging the hardships faced by Ghanaians due to poor governance and economic mismanagement by the previous administration, President Mahama in his speech emphasized his commitment to creating an inclusive government, where the voices of the people are heard.
“My administration, along with my Vice President, will prioritise inclusivity, accountability, and innovation, forging pathways that will lead to the upliftment of all of our people”, he said. “In this resounding victory, I see a clarion call, particularly from the youth of Ghana, and this moment is a powerful affirmation that your voices matter and that your future must be our priority. Our policies will be tailored to sustain innovation and foster an industry that engages today’s young minds. We will create decent and well-paying jobs in collaboration with the private sector and captains of business.”
Meanwhile, the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has urged President Mahama’s new government to promptly honor its commitment to streamline Ghana’s tax system. The association believes this would provide much-needed relief to struggling businesses. Highlighting the challenges faced by manufacturers, AGI noted that growth in the sector has been stifled by tax complexities that hinder efficiency and expansion.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the AGI, Tsonam Akpeloo, in an interview last week, stressed that simplifying the tax process is crucial to supporting the government’s ambitious plan for a 24-hour economy.
“Our view is that this year should remain a year that would witness a proper cancellation of some of these nuisance taxes. And if we see that happen, you would begin to witness a situation where industry, especially the manufacturing component of industry, will grow tremendously. If you observed last year, even though there appeared to be an increment in the GDP growth rate of industry, the real manufacturing sector is actually not growing.”
Tsonam stressed the need for a rationalized tax regime to ease the financial burden on businesses. He said these comprehensive tax reforms will stimulate growth, enhance competitiveness and attract investments to boost the economy. He also expressed optimism that under President Mahama’s leadership, the government will address the concerns of the business community and implement policies that foster industrial development.
“The manufacturing sector is not growing because most of these taxes and other factors are making it difficult for us to grow. And so we want a situation where the issues are properly dealt with this year, especially to ensure that the government will essentially promise a 24-hour economy, will really take some of these bold steps, to promote proper industrialisation.”
