Digitisation drive yields results
The Deputy Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ms Ama Pomaa Boateng, has said efforts by the government to transform the economy through the digitalisation of businesses are yielding the desired results.
She said the implementation of the information communication technology (ICT) initiatives had led to significant improvement in the way government agencies interacted with businesses in the country.
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In a virtual forum organised by the Ghanaian-German Economic Association (GGEA) in Accra last Wednesday, Ms Boateng said digitisation of most government agencies had led to transactions being carried out electronically, thus saving time and also creating convenient environment for businesses to operate.
The webinar, which was on the theme: "The Ghanaian post-coronavirus economy: Taxes and digitalisation,” created a platform for resource persons from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, and GIZ, a German development agency, to educate participants on the many benefits inherent in the new tax regime in the country, the government digitalisation agenda, as well as a GIZ private sector support programme which is readily available to businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Other speakers included a tax partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr Abeku Gyan-Quansah; the Head of Business investment at GIZ, Mrs Annie-Marie Castel-Langefeld, and the President of the Ghanaian-German Economic Association (GGEA), Mr Stephen Antwi.
Transformation of economy
Ms Boateng said the government’s vision for the economic transformation of the country would be achieved through ICT.
“It is obvious that the government, through ingenuity and innovation, has been able to sustain a highly reasonable level of economic activities in spite of the fact that some businesses have suffered losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic brought new ways of doing business, changed lifestyle and other ways of living, including how effective employees work, how they communicate with our clients and how delivery of products and services are greatly influenced by the use of digital tools,” she added.
According to her, the Companies Act 2019 now allows for electronic transactions and dealings with the Office of the Registrar of Companies for the incorporation of companies, payment of fees, submission of annual returns, filing of documents and other transactions electronically.
“Also, individuals, businesses and organisations can now comfortably apply for passport online and secure them quick enough to travel.
“Foreign investors now effortlessly apply for visas and work permits online through our e-immigration system,” the deputy minister added.
She further said: “Digitisation at our ports has led to the elimination of the long room, streamlined inspection, as well as enhanced enforcement, making it easy for businesses to clear their goods, curb rent, reduce the activities of middlemen and the cost of doing business at the ports.”
Ms Boateng further said the government had created a one-stop shop, a virtual platform - Ghana.gov, for accessing and payment for various services, adding that soon all government institutions would be put on the platform.
2021 budget
For his part, Mr Gyan-Quansah said the government presented a budget to Parliament in March this year which sought to run a deficit of 9.5 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2021.
He said the government intended to raise a revenue of GH¢72.5 billion as contained in the 2021 budget, while expenditure and arrears were estimated to hit GH¢113 billion.
“Out of the GH¢72.5 billion, we will be raising about GH¢55 billion from taxes which will be influenced by the tax laws introduced by the government,” Mr Gyan-Quansah added.