Co-founder and Snr. Partner, Policy & Institutional Relations of Ghana For Startups (GFS), Gilles Ametepe, is urging the government to extend and create policies to help sustain newly established startups and create opportunities to attract investors into the country.
Speaking to Citi News after joining the Board of Allied for Startups, and becoming the first African to achieve this feat in the global organization’s seven-year existence, Mr. Giles Ametepe noted that, the needed technical skills are not always readily available or not affordable as they wish.
“Many startups find difficulties renting or owning office spaces to do their works effectively and efficiently. We also have difficulty in accessing some needed, skills which are not always readily available or not affordable as we wish.”
“The registration process for businesses is still the same. Startups are a special breed, they are tech-enabled ventures which need much attention from the government”, Mr. Ametepe stated.
According to him, the government must extend its support and policies to make it easier to start a business and create the right environment to attract tech talent into Ghana.
“Government should create avenues to empower young people to create their own business right after school and also create the right environment to attract tech talents into Ghana directly by reviewing the tax regime for tech talents (freelancers and consultants – the withholding tax being reviewed downward), establishing a startup visa to attract startup founders, tech talents and investors to Ghana.”
He added that the “government must create a special tax regime for people who invest in startups.”
“Government should empower the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan to support the work of incubators and accelerators across the country especially those in the hinterlands, build regional silicon valleys (campuses with all the needed amenities, co-working spaces, internet connection, etc.”