Young entrepreneurs and business operators in the Volta Region are urging the government to use the 2027 Budget to reduce the cost of doing business, improve access to affordable credit and create stronger incentives for private sector investment.
The appeals place pressure on the Ministry of Finance to address the business conditions facing small enterprises as it prepares the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, scheduled for presentation on November 12, 2026.
Joshua Ayayi, Founder of the Youth Alliance for Sustainability, said the private sector could not absorb the growing number of unemployed young people if businesses remained constrained by heavy tax obligations and regulatory costs.
He called on Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to pursue a tax regime that rewards enterprise expansion and supports self-employment, rather than placing additional pressure on young entrepreneurs at the early stages of building their businesses.
The cost of formal operations can influence decisions on whether to register, employ workers, invest in equipment or expand into new markets, with access to affordable financing remaining important for businesses seeking working capital, purchasing equipment and increasing production.
Lucky Adzah, a mobile phone dealer at Dzemeni in the South Dayi District, appealed for reductions in taxes and import duties on mobile devices, arguing that the charges had increased retail prices and made communication tools less affordable for residents.
The appeals highlight the connection between fiscal policy and employment creation, with the challenge being to balance revenue mobilisation with measures that improve the capacity of local businesses to grow, employ workers and contribute to the economy.