The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured the membership of the National Association of Beauticians and Hairdressers that his government will put in place the requisite conditions for their businesses to flourish.

Nana Addo was speaking at a dinner organised to climax a five-day seminar of the Association, held at Mensah Sarbah Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon. The Association has a membership of 20,000 hairdressers and beauticians from all 10 regions of Ghana.

The president of the Association, Mrs. Joyce Lamptey, expressed the collective joy of the Association at his presence at the dinner. She outlined the aims of the Association, which were to defend the interests of beauticians and hairdressers, and enhance their productivity. She added that the Association also undertakes outreach programmes, and that, this year, 50 women with hearing disability will be trained to enable them to be effective beauticians and hairdressers. The Association was also gearing up to build its own headquarters.

In response, Nana Akufo-Addo, who was accompanied by the National Women’s Organiser of the NPP, Otiko Afisa Djaba, indicated that the NPP was borne out of a political tradition which strongly believes that private sector development is key to any nation’s quest for sustained development and improvement in the livelihood of its citizens. The party’s eight-year record in office, he said, is a testament to this fact.

“You, gathered here this evening, full of individual entrepreneurs and self-employed people, represent the private sector. I am of the strong belief that Ghana’s economic development should be led by the private sector. We have an abundance of entrepreneurial talents in Ghana which should be given the free rein to develop, and I can assure you that my government will provide a conducive and enabling environment for that to happen,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo further assured the hundreds gathered that the crippling tax regime, which has been imposed on Ghanaians under the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government, will be scrapped under his administration.

“Because of the high taxes imposed on every business activity in this country, including yours, businesses are being throttled. It is, therefore, no surprise that things are difficult in Ghana at the moment. Under my government, these taxes, imposed on you as a result of the mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy will be no more,” he said.

He continued, “Apart from the issue of taxes, our government will also work to bring down the cost of doing business, especially the high interest rates charged by banks to local businesses. The path to prosperity lies in strengthening local production and local businesses. An Akufo-Addo government is going to devote all its energies, wholeheartedly, to ensuring that this takes place.”

Victory for the NPP in this year’s poll, he said, will serve as the catalyst which will restore Ghana back onto the path of progress and prosperity. He pleaded for their active support to help achieve victory in November.

Nana Akufo-Addo also expressed in French his joy at the presence at the seminar of beauticians and hairdressers from Togo and Benin. He applauded the initiative, for it is such initiatives which will help foster solidarity amongst the peoples of West Africa. He hoped that they were enjoying their stay in Ghana.

He saluted their outreach programme, and made a donation of GH¢5,000 towards the construction of their headquarters.