TEMA, Ghana, 18th July: Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has warned that the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy policy risks losing its intended purpose due to the continued imposition of taxes, duties and levies on manufacturing inputs.
According to him, workers embraced the policy because they understood it to be a strategy aimed at creating a business-friendly environment that would attract investment, boost local manufacturing and generate sustainable employment.
“The 24-Hour Economy, as workers understand it, is for government to create a favourable environment by reviewing taxes and levies to attract investors to commit resources to establish factories and expand production to create employment opportunities,” he said.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme, Mr. Koomson argued that the implementation of the policy is gradually drifting away from its original objective.
“We have observed that the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy policy is losing focus because of the existing and additional duties and levies being imposed on manufacturing inputs, which continue to disadvantage local manufacturers,” he stated.
He explained that the increasing cost of production is making locally manufactured goods less competitive, while imported finished products continue to dominate the Ghanaian market.
“This situation favours the patronage of imported finished products, which sell at cheaper prices in the local market because production costs in their countries of origin, particularly China, are much lower,” he added.
Mr. Koomson further lamented that efforts by the GFL to engage government on the matter have so far yielded little progress.
According to him, the federation has repeatedly sought dialogue with government officials to discuss the challenges confronting the manufacturing sector, but those efforts have been frustrated.
To underscore its concerns, the Ghana Federation of Labour formally wrote to the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the impact of taxes and levies on the manufacturing industry.
In a letter dated July 2, 2026, and signed by Mr. Koomson, the GFL warned that the growing tax burden is threatening the viability of manufacturing businesses and the job security of thousands of workers.
The federation noted that it represents 16 affiliate trade unions, most of which organize workers in key manufacturing sectors, including textiles, food and beverages, and agro-processing.
According to the GFL, the proposed meeting was intended to provide an opportunity to outline the challenges facing the sector and seek the Minister’s intervention to halt what it described as the erosion of the manufacturing industry’s productive capacity and potential.
The federation appealed for the meeting to be held within the month of July due to the urgency of the matter.
Although the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry officially acknowledged receipt of the letter on July 8, 2026, the GFL says it is yet to receive an invitation for the requested engagement.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭
