The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has held a consultative forum with various stakeholders in Tamale in the Northern Region as part of preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES).
It is the fourth exercise in the last four decades with the maiden edition held 1962 to generate and update the register of businesses in the country.
The GSS brought together business operators in the informal sector, traditional leaders, state agencies, the media among other institutions to solicit their views on how to complete coverage and collect quality data from all businesses in the northern region.
In a media interview, the National Coordinator responsible for the 2023 Integrated Business Establishment Survey, Mr. Anthony Krakah explained the economic survey aims to count all businesses nationwide.
He said the businesses include all types of activities be it women selling on table tops, shops, stores, companies and even Mosque and Churches.
“The essence of this is to ensure that we have enough data to publish on the activities of every business in the country. Businesses can use this data to understand where to invest and truly to be sure where they can invest and make better and higher profits,” he added.
Mr. Anthony indicated that the data obtained will enable business operators who will use it to have a competitive advantage over their peers because they would be able to know where they can get their supplies, inputs and they will know exactly which market to sell their products.
The coordinator added entrepreneurs can also use the data to establish businesses where there are none and create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth.
Mr. Anthony Krakah emphasised that the government can also use the data to support businesses activities in the country.
“For instance, if the government I wants to support shea butter businesses in Tamale or in Yendi, they know exactly which district, which locality or which community to go and support these businesses and if they have to support with funds, they know the amount of funds to invest in these activities to be able to get results and so clearly, this data will go a long wat to support both the government and these businesses” he asserted.
Taxation
Meanwhile, some of the participants during the discussion expressed fears that the exercise was going to expose their businesses to the government and they would be slapped with new taxes.
Mr. Krakah however refuted the assertions that the data would be used for tax purposes, assuring them that individual information will not be given to tax agencies to come after them.
“The data that we’re going to collect will be published in aggregates, we’re going to put data of all firms together and publish, so individual information will not be given to tax agencies or anybody that would be used to affect your businesses,” he maintained.
