Ghana needs a Vehicle Assembly Plant- Kyeremanteng

Accra, March 2, GNA - Mr. Allan Kyeremanteng, Minister of Trade and President's Special Initiative on Tuesday said there was the need for the establishment of a Vehicle Assembly Plant in the country, since such a venture would serve the economy better.

He said the establishment of a Vehicle Assembly Plant was one of the programmes the Ministry was developing to help other initiatives by the Ministry.

Mr. Kyeremanteng said this when he paid a familiarization visit to the Ghana Heavy Equipment Limited (GHEL) to know more about the operations of the company.

"A Vehicle Assembly Plant will have a multiple effect on the growth of the economy," he noted.

He said market for automobile was very significant, and Ghana needed to develop in that sector.

Citing examples, he said South Africa and Botswana under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), were now exporting more vehicles than any other product, adding that Ghana could equally

Mr. Kyeremanteng was impressed about the branch network of the company, the establishment of a new subsidiary Zetor tractor plant in Ghana and the quality of the company's product.

He affirmed the support of the Ministry and the government to the good works of the company.

Mr. Yidana Mahami, Chief Executive Officer of GHEL, giving a brief overview of the company's operations, said the company currently deals in Komatsu earth moving equipment, generator sets and forklifts from Japan.

He said the company has a subsidiary, GHEL mining service limited that deals solely with the mining sector.

Mr. Mahami said the aim of GHEL is to establish a Zetor Assembly Plant in Ghana to serve the entire ECOWAS sub-region. He called for the total support of the Ministry of Trade and PSI to help boost the industrialization drive of the government.