The government has been urged to increase the 35% tax on imported cars that are between one and five years old.
According to Mr. Jeffrey Oppong Peprah, the CEO of Volkswagen (VW) Ghana, a car manufacturer, who placed the call, that would encourage more people to buy locally built cars.
During a media interview on Monday during VW Ghana’s introduction of the new VV Amarok pickup truck, which is built in Ghana, Mr. Peprah made this statement.
He said that the Ghana Automotive Development Policy (GAFP) was boosting the number of vehicles being assembled domestically.
VW Ghana may construct four to six vehicles at the start of the GAFP program in 2020, but it was presently assembling nine, according to Mr. Peprah.
By building a competitive automotive assembly hub in the nation, the GADP hopes to increase employment, lower the cost of automobiles, improve environmental and safety standards, boost Ghana’s standing in the West African auto industry, and lessen dependency on used vehicles.
The production of passenger automobiles, light commercial vehicles, buses, medium and heavy duty commercial vehicles, and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) is also included.
“When VW started with the assembling of cars at the beginning of the GADP policy in 2020, we had about four to six assembling vehicles. At the moment, we have about seven to nine assembling vehicles here. Which tells you that the market is progressing”, Mr Peprah said.
According to Mr. Peprah, Ghana’s geography and the fuel type used there made the new VW Amarok pickup truck suited for the country’s climate, which led to the decision to launch the locally built model.
His statement, “We have our people at Suame Magazine, Abbosey Okai, and all these places,” further emphasized the significance of incorporating the unorganized sector into the automotive industry.
“We feel that we need these men also to be part of the industry because with the new technologies coming on, they need to adapt.”
Mr. Peprah revealed that the automakers were collaborating with the government and other important parties, such as the Bank of Ghana (BoG), to create a system of specialized or incentive-based loans for customers who bought locally made goods.
At the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on Monday, August 3, 2020, President Akufo-Addo showcased the first new VW automobiles that were locally assembled.
The Tiguan, Teramont, Amarok, Caddy, Polo, and Passat were the car models that VW Ghana was assembling.
Source: newsthemegh.com