A group of Japanese-Ghanaian used vehicle importers has appealed to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to reconsider a new vehicle inspection requirement scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026.
The importers argue that the additional inspection at Ghanaian ports is unnecessary and will impose further financial burdens on businesses that already incur significant costs to meet inspection and certification requirements in Japan.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Michael Ayisi said vehicles exported from Japan to Ghana undergo rigorous checks before being shipped.
According to him, the vehicles are first inspected by the exporting dealership or company, after which the Japanese government conducts further checks before issuing the necessary export documentation.
He explained that every vehicle exported from Japan is accompanied by an export certificate issued by the Japanese authorities and confirmed by Japanese Customs.
Michael Ayisi questioned the rationale behind subjecting the same vehicles to another mandatory inspection upon arrival in Ghana.
He asked whether Ghanaian engineers were more qualified than the Japanese engineers who manufactured and inspected the vehicles before they were exported.
The importers further argued that similar vehicle inspection arrangements introduced in some African countries, including Tanzania and Kenya, had generated concerns over additional costs and what they described as double taxation.
They therefore appealed to the GSA and the government to engage stakeholders and consider a system that ensures vehicle safety without placing excessive financial pressure on local importers.
The group warned that the additional charges could significantly increase the cost of importing vehicles, reduce profit margins and force some Ghanaian-owned businesses out of the industry.
They expressed concern that if local businesses collapse, larger foreign companies with greater financial capacity could take over a significant share of the market.
According to the importers, Chinese companies could particularly benefit from the situation because of their financial strength and growing presence in Ghana’s automotive market.
“If this law is implemented as planned, it will break our businesses,” one of the importers said, arguing that many Ghanaian traders who have built their livelihoods around vehicle imports could lose their businesses and jobs.
The importers are therefore calling on the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ghana Standards Authority to initiate an urgent stakeholder dialogue to find a balance between ensuring roadworthy vehicles and protecting Ghanaian businesses.
They maintained that they support measures aimed at ensuring vehicle safety but want the authorities to consider the inspections and certifications already carried out in Japan.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ghana Standards Authority had not publicly responded to the concerns raised by the importers.