BudgIT Ghana Engages Its Key Stakeholders On Negative Effects Of COVID-19 Pandemic
Themed "“Pre and Post Covid-19 Pandemic Socioeconomic Resilience Strategies: Impact and Lessons from Stakeholders,” the meeting which was held in Accra has discussed socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian formal and informal sectors.
Freeman Koryekpor 
Civil Society Organization, BudgIT Ghana, has engaged its key stakeholders in the roundtable discussion on the negative impacts the deadly coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic have on their lives and business investments, with a call on government of President Nana Addo Dankwa to address the economic hardships of Ghananians.
Themed "“Pre and Post Covid-19 Pandemic Socioeconomic Resilience Strategies: Impact and Lessons from Stakeholders,” the meeting which was held in Accra has discussed socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian formal and informal sectors.
The meeting served as the viable platform for the stakeholders to share their experiences
about their resilience adaptative strategies during and post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
The meeting enhanced acceptable data
on business resiliency and recovery strategies.
The meeting suggested that the adaptative strategy findings must be publicized to the general public; and relevant Institutions and agencies be engaged after the finalisation of the resilience report.
Speaking at the event, the Project Lead of BudgIT Ghana, Mr Khiddir Iddrisu recalled that during the Covid 19 pandemic the central government announced a complete shutdown
of economic activities because of the pandemic in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi during the peak period of the pandemic.
According to him, most significant humanitarian crises in post-independent happened when government played that crucial role in providing life lines to people and firms to help combat the pandemic and its economic fallout.
While acknowledging the economic hardships induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, we urge government to take immediate steps to address some of the key concerns which predate the health crisis.
Efforts should be geared towards broadening the tax base, ensuring compliance and plugging revenue leakages, rather than burdening the small number of existing taxpayers with new taxes.
The private sector which is the engine of growth, still borrows at an average of 20 percent despite efforts to make interest rates more competitive. This is uncompetitive, stifles business growth and undermines private sector efforts to create employment.
Government must adopt determined efforts to overcome vested interests to help mitigate the pernicious effects of corruption, and also ensure transparent and open governance processes. The perception of corruption in Ghana is eroding trust in government and undermining the social contract.
The slow pace in addressing the infrastructural needs (health, transport, housing, etc.) of the citizens has undermined inclusive and sustainable growth, markets expansion, job opportunities among others.
We laud the government for acknowledging the aforementioned challenges but urge expedited action to address the concerns.
BudgIT Ghana further implores the aggrieved youth to explore legal avenues in channeling their grievances, but most importantly rally behind the government to come out of the storm.
About BudgiT Ghana
BudgIT is a civic organisation driven to make the Ghana budget and public data more understandable and accessible across every literacy span with the aim of improving participatory governance.
BudgIT’s innovation within the public circle comes with a creative use of government data by presenting complicated information in interactive formats or infographic displays. Our primary goal is to use creative technology to intersect civic engagement and institutional reform.
