Ghana’s business community is pressing the government to use the 2027 Budget to address high operating costs, port delays and declining incentives for local manufacturers, warning that macroeconomic stability alone is insufficient to drive private-sector growth.
Traders, manufacturers and business leaders want Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to introduce targeted measures that will make it easier and cheaper to operate, expand local production and improve the competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises.
The demands come ahead of the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on November 12, 2026, under the theme The New Economy.
A major component of the government’s proposed economic direction is the US$10 billion New Economy Programme, a four-year initiative covering 2027 to 2030.
The programme is expected to promote domestic production, local processing and value addition, support Ghanaian businesses, increase exports and create jobs.
However, business associations say the government must ensure that the gains from economic stabilisation translate into tangible relief for enterprises struggling with operational challenges.
The President of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), Clement Boateng, is calling for reforms to reduce delays in clearing goods at the ports.
He said lengthy verification procedures, particularly delays in obtaining responses from overseas parent companies, often leave containers at the ports for two or three days, increasing the financial burden on importers.
Mr Boateng wants the Finance Minister to outline measures to address the problem and consider applying a flat-rate system to reduce technical difficulties and delays in the clearance process.
The President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Nana Agyenim Boateng, is also advocating further tax reductions to ease pressure on businesses.
Although acknowledging improvements in economic conditions, he said the government should consider additional tax relief to help businesses take advantage of the improving environment.
He argued that any additional reductions in the tax burden would provide further support to private-sector operators.
For local manufacturers, the concern centres on the need for stronger incentives to protect domestic production and attract new investment.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Tsonam Akpeloo, has raised concerns about the withdrawal of the Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption for locally assembled vehicles.
He warned that the policy could undermine the competitiveness of vehicle assemblers in Ghana and discourage manufacturers considering the country as an investment destination.
Mr Akpeloo also cautioned that Ghana risked losing potential investments to neighbouring Nigeria, which is competing to attract similar manufacturing businesses.
He argued that local manufacturers require appropriate incentives to compete with cheaper imported finished products.
The business community is therefore looking to the 2027 Budget for concrete commitments on tax relief, efficient port administration and incentives for domestic industry.
While the proposed New Economy Programme signals the government’s ambition to expand production and exports, business leaders say its success will depend partly on whether the budget creates a more supportive operating environment for local enterprises.
