Navigating the business terrain in Ghana comes with unique commercial hurdles, especially for traders, importers, and small business owners striving to grow in a competitive market. In a proactive effort to address these pressing economic bottlenecks, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer for the 2028 Elections, recently convened a high-level engagement with the Trade Advocacy Group. This interaction forms part of his ongoing national policy dialogue series aimed at gathering ground-level insights from major economic stakeholders to shape practical business reforms.

The meeting provided a vital platform for members of the Trade Advocacy Group an association representing Ghanaian traders, importers, and general business operators to outline the daily obstacles threatening commercial sustainability. Business leaders at the forum candidly pointed out systemic pressures that hinder business expansion across the country, focusing heavily on high and arbitrary import duties, expensive port demurrage charges, inflated shop rental fees, heavy tax burdens, and restricted access to affordable credit.

Sharing updates on the engagement via social media, Dr. Bawumia highlighted the core concerns raised by the group:

"I met with the Trade Advocacy Group, an association for traders, importers and business people, for a productive discussion on their current challenges and the future of trade and business in Ghana as part of my policy dialogue series. They enumerated various challenges such as high and arbitrary import duties, high cost of demurrage, high cost of renting shops, high taxes and access to credits,".

In response to these concerns, the dialogue centered primarily on actionable, long-term policy interventions designed to streamline regulatory frameworks and significantly lower the cost of doing business in Ghana. Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the overarching ambition of these policy consultations is to unlock private-sector potential and strengthen regional competitiveness, noting,

“The discussion was generally centered on policies that would solve these problems and make it easier to do business, expand opportunities, create jobs and position Ghana as a trade hub in the sub-region,”.

Appreciating the constructive feedback shared during the interaction, he concluded by expressing gratitude to the trading community for bringing practical solutions to the table, adding, “My thanks to the Trade Advocacy Group for their attendance of the meeting and many of the ideas they put on the table,”.

The collaborative dialogue between Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the Trade Advocacy Group highlights a crucial step toward identifying and rectifying the core structural challenges facing Ghanaian commerce. By addressing high import duties, port demurrage, shop rents, and credit constraints, Ghana can foster a more resilient business environment that generates sustainable jobs and positions the nation as a premier trade hub in West Africa.

#Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Trade Advocacy Group