Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, has called for tax reforms that recognise women’s contribution to Ghana’s economy without placing an unfair financial burden on them.
According to her, women play a central role in keeping the economy running, from trading in markets and operating roadside businesses to working in workshops, farms and homes.
In a post on Facebook, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo said women should not be treated as a peripheral part of the economy, describing them instead as its “backbone.”
She argued that as government works to reform the tax system, fairness and inclusion must remain at the centre of the process.
“We cannot widen the tax net by placing an unfair burden on women who are already carrying families, creating jobs and sustaining communities,” she said.
She added that tax reform should be designed to support women rather than make it more difficult for them to operate their businesses and provide for their families.
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo also highlighted the government’s Reset Agenda and its focus on women’s economic empowerment, particularly initiatives such as the proposed Women’s Development Bank and efforts to improve women’s access to finance, technology and education.
She said greater support for formalising women-led businesses would also be critical to creating an economy in which women can expand their businesses without being held back by limited access to capital or excessive bureaucracy.
“The Ghana We Want must be a Ghana that sees her, supports her and creates opportunities for her to thrive,” she said.
She further called for market women, entrepreneurs and women-led businesses to be given the support they need as Ghana undertakes economic reforms.
“As we build, reform and reset our economy, let us leave no woman behind,” she added.
