The Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion (GIPC) says it is absolutely necessary for quality information to be made available to small and medium entreprises (SMEs).. 

Speaking in an interview with JOY BUSINESS at the African Partner Pool (APP) Business Forum, a platform for the sharing of relevant information on taxation and related matters, Mrs Mawuena Trebah said the provision of information on the importance of taxation and quality standards will afford local companies the opportunity to compete favourably with multinationals.

“Utilising this platform as an avenue to share quality information about our investment regime, and the context in which taxes are executed, the impact on standards in terms of accessing new markets [is crucial],” she said. 

The GIPC boss maintained that, “It is very important to us at GIPC to communicate with the public about our business and regulatory environment.”

Also speaking to JOY BUSINESS, Country Manager of Invest in Africa, organizers of the APP Business Forum, Sam Brandful, said although taxation is not the most comfortable topic among business owners, it is pertinent for the business community to understand how taxation affects their businesses at all levels. 

“The Ghanaian business owner does not like to discuss taxation, we want to blow that away. [But] we want people to understand why as a business, it is important to pay taxes," he stressed. 

Mr Brandful stated “it is important to incorporate that as part of a company’s daily activity."

He said this on the sidelines of the African Partnership Pool (APP) Business Forum held under the theme “Creating Thriving Business Through Taxation and Quality Standards.”  

The Africa Partner Pool is Ghana’s first cross-sector online business directory that connects larger international and Ghanaian companies (buyers) to local small and medium businesses.