President directs MDAs, MMDAs, state-owned agencies to purchase locally assembled vehicles

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism and Member of Parliament for Afigya-Kwabre North Constituency and a Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Tema East Daniel Nii Kwartei who is also a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism Titus Glover have both applauded the presidency for what they described as a bold initiative to direct all Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and all state-owned agencies to prioritize as their first option, the purchase of locally assembled vehicles they intend to procure.

In a letter dated, 3rd July 2020 and signed by the Chief of Staff, Hon. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the President directed that “effective July 2020 all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as well as all state-owned agencies which desire to acquire new vehicles, should prioritize as their first option, the purchase of locally assembled vehicles they intend to procure.

Speaking on Eye on Port, the duo said the move comes as an attestation to the seriousness the President and his government attaches to the industrialization of the Ghanaian economy beyond aid, increasing employment, encouraging investment and preserving foreign exchange all geared towards growing the Ghanaian economy.

“The president by this document is giving a lot of support to this initiative, which by the way is his own baby. My outfit which is parliament for example is a bad example. When we want chairs, we go to China to import. The government wants to curtail all these bad practices.” the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism asserted.

According to Nana Marfo Amaniampong, Ghana has gotten to the point where it needs to create permanent jobs by implementing such efficient policies.

“Going forward, the President is saying that MDAs, MMDAs and all state-owned agencies and even schools, the next batch of cars and buses that we give to the secondary schools or the tertiary institutions, will be vehicles which have been assembled in Ghana here. That will tell people how serious the president is as far as his policies are concerned.” He echoed.

The Deputy Minister of Transport though admitted that demand may outdo the capacity of local manufacturers from the early stages, eventually the benefit will far compensate for the initial inconveniences.

“Imagine all these MMDAs, how many manufacturing companies do we even have, I am sure Nissan and one or two others, but every institution and the kind of vehicle they want, be it, salon cars, pickups, land cruisers, etc., so it’s going to take quite a little time. But we need to encourage ourselves because the vision that the president has brought is a very laudable one.” The Deputy Transport Minister added.