New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has pledged to bring Ghana’s informal sector into the formal economy without what he described as harassment and punitive taxation, insisting that traders and artisans deserve support rather than pressure.
Speaking at the KAA for President 2028 Policy Day, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful described the informal sector as “the very soul of our economy”, but said it continues to operate in the shadows despite its central role in sustaining livelihoods.
“Our vibrant informal sector, the very soul of our economy, yet it operates in the shadows,” he said.
As part of his fifth policy pillar, Mr Agyepong announced plans to introduce a simplified national trade licence regime to bring informal businesses into the formal fold.
“It will be designed to lift our heroes of the hustle into the light,” he said, addressing market traders, artisans and small-scale operators.
He stressed that the policy would not be about squeezing more taxes out of struggling businesses.
“We will not punish you with taxes,” he said. “We’ll empower you with licences, protect you with the law and support you with credit.”
Mr Agyepong said the current approach to the informal sector often relies on enforcement and intimidation rather than support, which he believes undermines trust in the state.
“The goal will be to expand the tax base fairly and replace the harassment of our tradesmen, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and market traders with support and incentive,” he said.
He argued that formalisation, when done properly, would strengthen the economy while giving small businesses legal protection and access to finance.
“Your enterprise will be our nation’s engine,” he told informal sector workers.
The proposal forms part of Mr Agyepong’s six-point covenant for national renewal, which also includes land reform, urban regeneration, fiscal discipline, public service reform, and support for arts and sports.
He said Ghana’s democracy has failed to deliver enough opportunity for ordinary citizens, particularly the youth, and that politics has not created “enough hope”.
“This is not our destiny,” he said.
Mr Agyepong is one of five aspirants seeking to lead the NPP into the 2028 general elections. He used the policy day to urge party delegates to unite behind what he called a “new dawn” for both the party and the country.
“I offer you not slogans, but a solemn covenant,” he said, asking delegates to vote for him on January 31.
He further called for unity between party and people, saying the informal sector must no longer be treated as an afterthought in Ghana’s development journey.
