Aliu: Politics Killing Business In Ghana

Alhaji Aliu Mahama Former Vice President Aliu Mahama has observed that Ghana’s political environment over the years has not helped in attracting and growing businesses in the country. According to Alhaji Mahama, the situation where business men are placed branded in political party colours and penalized when their supposed party is not in office has killed many potentially big businesses. He was speaking at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Global Access Savings and Loans Company over the weekend. The former Vice president says if the trend continues, businesses in the country will not be encouraged to grow. “Politicians and for that matter politics has not helped business in this country. Government A will come and when that government leaves, a successful businessman comes up. Along the line another government comes in and the guy is branded as the past government’s man so they cut his legs and he goes back to sit. That has been the trend in this country over the years to date. "We are so greedy, we are envious of achievers and so if I am not there, you should not be there. We never allow businesses to grow in this country.” Despite recent publications from the Doing Business 2011 study that ranked Ghana as one of the best places to do business in terms of accessing credit, the former Vice president still thinks not much has been achieved. He is urging government to present a level playing ground for all businesses. “We must allow businesses to grow. Government can facilitate things but with business, Government cannot say I want to grow somebody to be a rich man overnight. Lets allow a free environment, allow all manner of people, give them the platform to grow by facilitating things and Ghana will get somewhere.”