TEMA, Ghana, 28th June: The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has cautioned that the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy Policy could be undermined if economic policies that previously crippled the country’s manufacturing sector are allowed to resurface.
According to him, similar policies implemented in the 1980s led to the collapse of several manufacturing industries and resulted in massive job losses, a situation he believes must not be repeated if the government is to achieve the objectives of the 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme on Saturday, June 28, Mr. Koomson warned that the reintroduction of policies that increase the cost of doing business could frustrate efforts to expand production and create sustainable jobs under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s economic agenda.
“If care is not taken, the unfavourable economic policies which collapsed the manufacturing industries and caused massive job losses in the 80s will resurface to undermine the 24-hour economy being pursued by the NDC government,” he stated.
Mr. Koomson further disclosed that the Ghana Federation of Labour recently held discussions with the leadership of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to assess the challenges confronting local manufacturers.
According to him, the meeting identified a number of taxes and levies that continue to burden businesses, including what he described as “nuisance taxes.” These include the fumigation service charge on containers, the Import Declaration Form (IDF) levy, and the proposed cargo levy, which he said could significantly increase the cost of doing business and reduce the competitiveness of local industries.
“We met with the leadership of the Association of Ghana Industries yesterday on the challenges facing local manufacturers. We identified remnants of the nuisance taxes, including the fumigation service charge on containers, as well as new taxes such as the IDF and the proposed cargo levy being envisaged for importers,” he said.
Mr. Koomson stressed that for the 24-Hour Economy Policy to succeed, government must create an enabling business environment that supports industrial growth, encourages investment, and reduces the financial burden on manufacturers and importers.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 🇬🇭
