The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) is urging government to intensify consultations with the business community as the country prepares to roll out a new Value Added Tax (VAT) system in September this year.
According to the Chamber, while initial engagements have taken place, sustained dialogue is crucial to ensure that concerns from businesses are adequately addressed before the new tax system is implemented.
Speaking to Joy Business, Chief Executive Officer of the GNCCI, Mark Badu-Aboagye, emphasized the importance of continuous engagement, stressing that stakeholders must not be left in the dark about the details of the reforms.
“I think the initial engagement was useful they listened to us. But after going back to the drawing board, we expect our comments and recommendations to be factored into whatever reforms they plan to introduce,” he said.
Mr. Badu-Aboagye noted that once the revised proposals are ready, government must return to the business community for further input.
“It’s important that they come back to us and say, ‘Based on the engagement we’ve had with you, this is the outcome and this is how the reform will look.’ If there is an implementation plan, we should also be given the opportunity to provide feedback,” he added.
He cautioned against a one-off approach to stakeholder engagement, noting that one or two meetings are not enough to represent the collective concerns of the business community.
“The process should not be a one-time meeting with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and then later we see a policy we never had sight of. We want to see the final document the final policy before it is implemented,” he stressed.
Mr. Badu-Aboagye expressed optimism that with about three months to the planned implementation in September, government will return with a near-final version of the policy to enable stakeholders make their final inputs.
The Chamber’s call comes amid growing concern among businesses over potential disruptions that could arise from sudden or poorly communicated tax reforms.
GNCCI maintains that early and transparent dialogue will help foster smoother implementation and broader acceptance of the new VAT system.
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