ECOWAS aims to cut car imports

Ministers and Commissioners responsible for Trade, Industry and Investment in the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) have held a crunch meeting to validate an automotive industry policy framework which seeks to boost the automotive industry in the sub-region.

The policy aims to build the capacity of member states in the areas of vehicle assembling, production and marketing to cut the huge import of vehicles from non-African countries.

It is estimated that over 800,000 cars are shipped to countries in the sub-region yearly with 80% being used vehicles or second-hand products.

The meeting, held at the Kempinski Hotel, Accra on Friday, 10 May 2019, was to modify and finalise the terms for the operationalisation of the framework.

In an interview with Class91.3FM’s Blessed Sogah on the sidelines of the meeting, Ghana's Trade and Industry Minister, Mr Alan Kyerematen, who co-hosted the programme, expressed the hope that the engagements will be fruitful for the mutual benefit of member states.

He explained that the framework, to a very large extent, reinforces the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government's 10-point agenda for industrial transformation in Ghana.

Japan automobile manufacturer Nissan, German carmaker VW, and China’s Sinotruk, have all expressed interest in establishing plants in Ghana to serve the West African sub-region.

They will complement the efforts of indigenous car assembler Kantanka Automobile, which assembles its brand of vehicles for the local and international market.