By: Nana Antwi Boasiako
Founder and leader of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Christian Kwabena Andrews has made a bold promise to implement a Free Port policy within his first three months in office if elected president in the upcoming December polls.
In an exclusive interview on Happy98.9FM’s morning show with Kwadwo Sefah-Danquah, Mr. Andrews emphasized the need to remove the cumbersome taxes at Ghana’s ports, which he believes are a significant deterrent to investors looking to import goods and essentials into the country.
According to him, the current tax regime at the ports hinders economic growth by making it difficult for investors to bring in the necessary goods and materials needed to stimulate development. He argued that by implementing a Free Port policy, investors would be incentivized to import more goods, leading to an increase in economic activity, job creation, and a reduction in unemployment rates.
Furthermore, he believes that a Free Port policy would make Ghana an attractive hub for regional trade, with neighboring countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso opting to trade in Ghana due to the lower costs. This, he said, would have a positive impact on Ghana’s economy and help to stimulate growth.
Mr. Kwabena Andrews also emphasized that Ghana does not need to rely on taxes from the ports to drive development, but can instead leverage its abundant natural resources to fund its development agenda. He believes that this approach would be more sustainable and beneficial to the country in the long run.