By Edward Dankwah, GNA
Accra, Sept. 07, GNA – Madam Elsie Appau-Klu, a Lawyer and an Entrepreneur, has called for the establishment of a Cosmetology Council and formalisation of Ghana’s beauty and wellness industry, to unlock its potential for youth employment, entrepreneurship and revenue generation.
She said the sector, which employed millions of Ghanaians through hairdressing, barbering, makeup artistry, skincare and Spa services, remained largely informal despite its growing economic importance.
Madam Appau-Klu, who is the Founder of Ezel Fashion, made the call at the Ghana Beauty and Wellness Report Workshop, organised by Makeup Ghana in Accra.
The workshop was held on the theme: “Formalising Beauty: Data, Policy and Growth for Ghana’s Wellness Economy.”
She said the industry should be recognised as an important contributor to the economy rather than being viewed simply as a sector centred on glamour.
“The beauty and wellness industry is more than glamour. It is jobs, entrepreneurship, dignity and revenue,” she said.
Madam Appau-Klu, who is also a Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), represented Mr Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, her superior at the workshop.
She said formalisation should not be viewed merely as a mechanism for taxation but as a pathway to growth and greater opportunities for businesses and practitioners.
She said the GRA was prepared to collaborate with stakeholders to encourage business registration, improve tax education, and develop a better understanding of the industry’s contribution to employment and economic activity.
Madam Appau-Klu said the GRA collected information on registered businesses through its Taxpayer Identification Number database, tax returns, turnover declarations and compliance records, although beauty and wellness businesses were currently broadly classified under beauty and personal care.
She said comprehensive and reliable sector data would enable policymakers and regulators to determine the number of businesses, their turnover, employment contribution, and level of informality.
Madam Appau-Klu also expressed concern about the absence of a clearly defined professional regulatory framework for cosmetology and wellness practitioners.
She noted that while the Food and Drugs Authority regulated products and local assemblies issued business permits, there was a need for intensified advocacy for a dedicated cosmetology council or professional regulatory body.
“Product standards are the responsibility of the FDA, while professional practice must also be properly regulated,” she said.
She urged stakeholders to advocate for an appropriate regulatory framework.
The GRA was ready to partner with the beauty industry in ways that supported rather than discouraged small businesses, noting challenges including poor record-keeping, cash-based transactions and limited understanding of tax obligations, she said.
Madam Appau-Klu stated that association-led tax education had proved effective in improving engagement, registration and voluntary compliance, and called for credible data from the Ghana Beauty and Wellness Report to guide policy and collaboration.
She said such evidence would help government institutions develop systems that reflected the realities of businesses in the industry and enable them to access credit, contracts and other opportunities while contributing fairly to national development.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo