Nana Dankawoso 1 proposes legislation to make GNCCI membership for businesses mandatory

The immediate past president of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso 1, has proposed the concept of all registered businesses in Ghana to enlist as members of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI).

He said, bound by a legislative instrument, this arrangement would ensure the complete harmonisation of all legitimate businesses, similar to what is common in most Francophone countries.

“If you go to the Francophone countries, you register the company at the Chamber of Commerce where the Registrar General’s secretariat is within. So automatically you become a member,” he explained.

Speaking on Eye on Port, on the state of Ghana’s commercial and industrial environment, Nana, who is also the Chairman of the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the immediate past President of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, although he supports the concept of freedom of association, he believes all businesses enrolling in the GNCCI, would ensure easier streamlining of the management of all affairs concerning the commercial space.

“Even though the law gives us the freedom to have our own associations, in order for the government to manage and for us to have a common voice, there is the need,” he stated.

He said the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an apolitical quasi-government institution with a legal mandate to be the leading voice for the private sector collaborating with government towards economic development.

He said during his tenure as President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, his team played a crucial role in championing Ghana’s support for the drive for a continental free market especially in the hosting of the secretariat in Ghana.

The Former President of the GNNCI also said, serving as an advisor to the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, he had to opportunity to widen the number of potential beneficiaries for investment during the investment tours for the President.

“I have been with the investment tour of the president where I speak on behalf of the private sector just to give confidence to those prospective investors who want to come to Ghana. In actual fact, most of them are happy to come.”

He added, “learning from the Turkish I wanted to take about 100 business, people, when the government is going out for investment tour. I was not able to get there. But we did around 50.”

Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso 1, said he also embarked on increased engagement with the financial sector to intervene in exchange rate disparities that would bring relief to traders and players in the industry.

According to Nana, during his four-year tenure as head of the GNCCI, he embarked on further expansion of the Chamber across the country, increased engagement with individual businesses within the chamber, the establishment of a business school for the Chamber, as well as the commencement of the construction of a multipurpose office complex, among many other significant developments.