The Second Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has called on the government to depoliticise entrepreneurship and create an enabling environment for Ghanaian businesses to thrive.
Speaking at the Kwahu Business Forum 2026, Hon. Shaib emphasised the need for leaders to commit to the sustenance of Ghanaian businesses, citing the importance of private sector participation in the country’s economic growth.
Hon. Shaib, representing the Minority Leader, Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, highlighted the challenges faced by Ghanaian businesses, including high lending rates, cumulative tax burden, and lack of consultation on policy decisions.
He noted that the current lending rate of 10.70% is inaccessible to many SMEs, and the banking sector’s collateral requirements lock out most entrepreneurs.
The Minority Caucus has identified key areas for improvement, including policy mismatches and consultation deficits. Hon. Shaib emphasised the need for a statutory pre-legislative consultation framework, assessment of combined tax impact, and parliamentary scrutiny of the AI-driven customs assessment system.
To support Ghanaian businesses, the Minority Caucus commits to advocating for policy stability, predictable legislation, and economic direction that reflects the realities on the ground. They propose quarterly parliamentary engagements with business associations, targeted reforms in SME financing, and investment in technical and vocational education.
The Second Deputy Minority Whip urged entrepreneurs to invest boldly in their dreams and called on the financial sector to support indigenous enterprises. “Let this forum be not merely a platform for dialogue but the beginning of sustained, structured support for entrepreneurship in Ghana,” he said.
The event was attended by industry players, business leaders, and stakeholders, who acknowledged the importance of collaboration in driving Ghana’s economic growth. The Kwahu Business Forum 2026 aimed to inspire fresh thinking on Ghana’s economic future and emphasise the role of private sector participation in nation-building.
Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib calls for depoliticisation of entrepreneurship.
The minority caucus identifies policy mismatches and consultation deficits as major challenges. Proposal for statutory pre-legislative consultation framework and assessment of combined tax impact, Commitment to advocate for policy stability, predictable legislation, and economic direction and an urgent call for the financial sector to support indigenous enterprises
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
