Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) has advocated for Registrar General’s Department office in upper west to prevent scores of people willing to register their business from travelling to other regions.

The call was made when GNCCI executives visited the Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan in his office to address challenges confronting business sector and how to reposition the sector on a good stand in the region.

Discussing the matter with the Minister, the chamber revealed that about 80 percent of businesses are operating in the region without business certificate.

“According to the Regional Minister, Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan, the ministry is putting measures in place to get registrar general’s department office in the region.

He charged residents to exercise patience and contribute their quota to the development process, saying that individual small contribution makes good economy.

Alhaji Alhassan maintained that the ministry has organise stakeholders forum on the second week of March 2019 to address issues concerning the business sector in the region.

Mr Emmanuel Wullingdool, policy Officer of Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC) said businesses are not booming due to the recent quaver in the banking sector and for that matter access to credit is a big challenge to businessmen.

Mr Wullingdool noted that the Registrar General’s Department would help businesses to be legally operated and when businesses are well operating they can then pay taxes to contribute largely to the development of the region.

He said the chamber is looking forward to work in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to organise business exhibition to attract other members to also exhibit what they have in the region.

Mr Jeremiah Bontariba Tengan, Regional Executive Secretary of the chamber expressed bitterness over foreigners taking over their market in the region. “The youth in the region want to work but the business environment is not giving them the chance”.

He said it is difficult for the region to grow if challenges facing the business sector cannot be address and to find a lasting solution to it.

Mr Tengan said the region has a rich Shea resource but processing plan and market availability is a big challenge and the need to pay much attention to address it.

By Charles Chedar