Prez announces reduction in tariffs
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced an average of 14 percent reduction in electricity tariffs for non-residential users across the country from this month.
The President said the government had taken a leap from regularising the power situation in the country and moving on to ensuring a boost for private businesses.
“We now want to boost private business in our country," the President declared at the opening of the 8th Salon Academy of the National Association of Beauticians and Hairdressers in Accra today.
President Akufo-Addo in making the announcement, said “from January this year, the non-residential tariff rate, which is the rate which includes all of you here, is being reduced by an average of 14 per cent. For barbers, it is being reduced by 18 per cent, for hairdressers and beauticians, 15.7 per cent, and for tailors, 9.8 per cent'" drawing an applause from the gathering.
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President Akufo-Addo recounted that “an average bill last year was GH¢562 a month. With this reduction from January, it is coming down to GH¢473 a month, which means GH¢88 has been taken from the electricity tariff that you pay. We want to encourage private business, and make business stand on its feet.”
President appreciative of electoral support
Expressing his appreciation to the Association for their support of his candidature in the run-up to the 2016 elections, President Akufo-Addo noted that one of the pledges he made to them, the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, was now a reality.
“By the grace of God, Free SHS, which some said was not possible or would be possible only after 20 years, is now a reality in our country. Free SHS has come to stay. It is going to be a central feature of the education architecture of our country. We are not going to go back on it. By 2020, all students in form 1, form 2 and form 3, would enjoy the free SHS policy,” he said.
In response to the request by the President of the Association, Mrs Joyce Lamptey, for tax exemptions for start-up businesses, the President stated that in the 2018 budget, there was a provision which ensured that young entrepreneurs, up to the age of 35, would enjoy a tax holiday for the first five years of operation, before being taxed in the subsequent years.
Touching on the provision of skills training, he revealed that, up until now, all the institutions responsible for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the country, were under so many organisations.
Scaling up TVET training
“My government has made the decision to centralise all of them (TVET) under the Ministry of Education, so we can scale up TVET training, and make it better and more robust for you. The demand for an industrial park in every region is part of the NPP manifesto, and you know that all the pledges I have made to the Ghanaian people, I am going to fulfill each and every one of them,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo appealed for the continued support of the Association, stressing that “this government is your government; it is the government of the private sector. Whatever we can do to strengthen the private sector, we will do it. We have come to do a job to raise Ghana up, and, with your support, we will raise Ghana up. The Black Star is going to shine and shine and shine again.”
The President of the Association, Mrs Joyce Lamptey had earlier called for a friendly-business environment for members of the association to boost their operations and make enhanced contributions to the national economy.
She said the association was well aware of the efforts of the government in creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and asked they be given special consideration.
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The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba assured the gathering of the government's commitment to fulfilling all promises made.
The focus of the government, she said, was to build a Ghana in which businesses would thrive irrespective of geographic location for progress and prosperity.
Writer's email: victor.kwawukume@graphic.com.gh