The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) is asking government to be detailed on how it intends to create a more conducive environment for businesses in its Mid-Year Budget Review.

The Chamber advised government to refrain from making general assertions on policies to support local businesses.

“If you look at our policy documents nowadays, there is always a general statement of we will create a conducive environment for business and we all know these are low inflation, low taxes, lower interest rates and lower tariffs”, CEO of the GNCCI, Mark Badu-Aboagye said during the Joy Business Pre-Budget Forum.

He emphasised that a drastic measure is needed to cushion businesses.

“If you look what is happening, I don’t think that’s the case. So I want the government to be specific on how it will support local businesses”, he stressed.

According to him, there is the need for a review of some levies to reduce the tax burden on Ghanaians.

“There are some taxes that I want to see abolished and some reviewed; one, the E-Levy. I think the rate is too high. The other one is the covid-19 levy. I don’t know why we still have that tax.We should take it off to help businesses”, he argued.

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, is expected to present the Mid-Year Budget to Parliament on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.