The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG) has called on the government to introduce policies addressing private sector concerns in the upcoming 2024 budget.
The plea comes ahead of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta's presentation of the government's 2024 Annual Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on November 15, 2023.
President of FABAG, John Awuni, emphasized the crucial role of the private sector in the country's growth but highlighted its underperformance due to high taxation and tariff rates.
In an interview on The Point of View on Citi TV, Awuni stated, “Our expectation is that they will come out with policies that will address the private sector's needs. We have said that the private sector is the engine of growth, but it appears that the private sector is not performing well due to high levels of taxation, due to high levels of tariff reviews.”
Expecting major policies to address the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, Awuni urged the removal of the COVID-19 levy, growth and sustainability levy, and taxes on products such as fruit juices and alcoholic beverages.
He further stressed the need for the government to strategically address the issue of unemployment in the country.