The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has called on the government to broaden the country’s tax base instead of imposing additional burdens on compliant businesses, while urging reductions in utility costs and improved access to long-term financing in the upcoming mid-year budget.
Speaking on Business Focus on July 13 2026, the Greater Accra Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Tsonam Akpeloo, said manufacturers expect no new taxes in the mid-year budget but want existing tax and duty burdens eased to support industrial growth.
Akpeloo argued that formally registered businesses continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of the country’s tax burden because they are easier for tax authorities to identify.
“Our view is that if they broaden the tax bracket, it will be easier to expand revenue and free us. Because AGI members are easily identified, they continue to burden us, and that’s not fair,” he added.
He noted that, the Association hoped the government would focus on reducing existing taxes and import duties rather than introducing fresh levies.
He highlighted that, “Our hope is that they’ll rather reduce the already existing taxes. Some of the duties are relatively very high, and our view is that they should reduce them.”
Akpeloo also called for measures to lower utility costs, warning that rising electricity and water tariffs are increasing production costs for manufacturers, particularly industries that rely heavily on water.
“Currently, it’s not funny. The light bills and the water bills are really high. A lot of our industries, especially beverage companies, depend heavily on water. If you increase water tariffs, you are really affecting the very foundation of the cost build-up,” he noted.
He further urged the government to address inefficiencies in electricity generation and distribution to help reduce utility charges for businesses.
The Chairman further stressed, “We want government to take steps to tackle the issue around generation losses, distribution losses and related inefficiencies so that utility costs can come down,”
Tsonam Akpeloo also added that, the need for policies that improve manufacturers’ access to long-term financing, describing affordable capital as essential to expanding industrial production and supporting the government’s 24-hour economy policy.
“And above all, there has to be a specific target of having us have access to long-term financing for industry to help build the 24-hour economy policy,” he concluded.
By Coffie Mawuena Noel
