Grant Tax Reliefs To Skill-Based Businesses As Protection Against Impacts Of Current Energy Crisis

The Foundation for Youth,Peace and Development(FYPD), wish to call on the Government of Ghana to grant some tax reliefs, in this moment of prolonged energy crisis, to operators of skill- based businesses, especially those in the barbering, hairdressing, the dress making,metal works,electronics, electrical, automobile and mobile phone repairs and such other industries which provide employment to a significant number of the youth of Ghana.

According to the complaints of young people in these businesses,the energy crisis has reduced their incomes drastically,and that is making it difficult for them to meet their tax obligations.

Our sources of information indicate, that sections of these group have approached the local Government Authorities in their respective areas for a downward review of tolls in the interim, but they that did not yield any success.

According to heads of the local Government Authorities,the body responsible for fee fixing and other major decisions namely; the General Assembly has been dissolved due to expiration of the tenure of office of assembly members, and that until a new assembly is elected to look into such issues, there is nothing they can do about the request.

Considering the huge uncertainties surrounding the District level elections,we wish to call on the central Government to intervene in the situation, in order to bring some reliefs to particularly,the youth in these businesses.

Finally,we wish to appeal to the Government to make good its promise to give out solar powered facilities to operators of small business as mentioned in the state of the nation address of the President of the Republic.

We believe that protection of these businesses which,though key to the economy, remains largely unattractive to the youth,will help in saving it from total collapse and also ensure that efforts at promoting skill training in the country stay on course.

Joseph Tetteh Executive Director, FYPD 0244571090.e-mail:[email protected]