2024 polls: ‘Please don’t leave our country’ – Mahama begs multinational companies

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama, has pleaded with multinational companies to remain in the country, assuring them of an end to the hardships they are facing under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government.

Some multinational companies, including Glovo, Nivea, Jumia Food, and BIC Pen, among others, have exited the Ghanaian economy, citing a harsh business climate.

Mr Mahama in a post on X on Monday, May 27, emphasised that the next NDC administration will work together to ensure businesses thrive.

Also, the former President bemoaned the rising public debt, currently pegged at GHC658.6 billion.

“GAME, Glovo, Nivea, BIC Pen, Dark and Lovely have all shut down. Unilever has relocated its tea production to Nigeria. Amid all this, our public debt has now hit a staggering 658.6 billion Ghana Cedis.

“But we cannot despair over the poor quality of governance that has served us in the last seven and a half years. I wish to use this opportunity to appeal to you, captains of industry and the investor community, to tarry a bit more. Please don’t leave our country.

“GAME, Glovo, Nivea, BIC Pen, Dark and Lovely have all shut down. Unilever has relocated its tea production to Nigeria.
Amid all this, our public debt has now hit a staggering 658.6 billion Ghana Cedis.

But we cannot despair over the poor quality of governance that has served…

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) May 27, 2024

“You can rest assured that a new NDC administration will work with you to create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive,” Mr Mahama wrote.

Relatedly, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Dr. Joseph Obeng has called for an urgent amendment of the country’s labour laws to bar foreign nationals in the retail sector.

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According to Dr Obeng, foreign companies account for about 80 percent of the goods imported into the country, whilst local businesses only cover the remaining 20 percent.

“Now our major problem is with the Chinese and we are going to go on them seriously.”

“The Chinatown and China Mall, these Chinese companies here and all that are taking a chunk of our business over 40%,” he told Keminni Amanor, host of Hot Issues on Sunday.

However, Dr Obeng dismissed the notion that local businesses overpriced their goods, rendering customers no option but to patronise the goods of the Chinese businesses.