Road and automobiles after 63 years of independence ...as we embrace giant automakers to start ops

Ghana needs strict measures on the manner in which motorists ply the streets in the country and the endorsement of the ban of accident vehicles from abroad.

Accra and some parts of main Kumasi central, there are often severe traffic congestion that a short trip from point A to B becomes a nightmare. A journey shorter than 100 kilometres can take about three and half hours. That happens to be about two hours longer than a flight from South Africa to Ghana.

I can boldly tell you that: welcome to traffic capital after years of reaching 63^rd Independence of Ghana. Government needs to look at the traffic-style we live in, where the roads are bunged and millions of commuters are choked with frustration about the daily hassle in our commercial capitals as a country noted as the gateway to Africa.

Disgruntled commuter, Anny Osabutey is a typical example. He recently posted an alarming issue on his social media wall: “Left my house by 5:30 a.m. and got to work at 9:10 a.m. The Kpone barrier issue is a wisdom problem because as a country, I am not sure the solution is behind us.”

Apart from the name “motorway”, it has become like any other ordinary link road in our towns; human traffic is beyond reasoning. It has become a daily affair. As for the illegal U-turns, that have been legitimatized, we cannot count them. he added

Our politicians keep making us feel like they’ve us the citizens as heart but it is as if there is no longer work, it is suffer-head. A colleague once made a request: “sir, can I work from home?” Although many in Ghana find the city fascinating, especially for economic and business reasons, living in Accra and Kumasi, the traffic and lawlessness of motorist in the country is taking a mental toll.

Anny Osabutey further stated that: “Isn’t the black man no longer capable of managing his own affairs, or we need a white undergraduate from any of the western countries to come and tell us what the problem is? And soon we shall be 64 years as a country? And we can’t even fix a simple issue like the Kpone situation, to give respite to those who ply a major trade route? And we have MPs and DCEs and sector ministers, who prance around the governance space with “Honourable” before their names but can’t even give meaning to it. Just waiting for when a siren blurring chap will force himself or herself to get through with ease, it will be funny. Apart from an ambulance, any siren blurring vehicle will have to join the line like everyone else, we shall not stand down on that.”

It is debatable if Accra is a working city when workers wrestle on miserable roads daily. Automobile has already made the city chaotic.

Lord Lugard, the British colonial administrator once observed that the “… material development of Africa may be summed in one word – transport…” If Lugard were alive today, he would have summed up the underdevelopment of post-colonial Ghana in one word: collapsed mass-transportation.

63 years of massless car production and the chances now

With Ghana known as the gateway to Africa, by now we should be the automotive hub in Africa. Despite having Nigeria as the leading economic-country noted for being the automobile industry hub in Africa by 2050, with increase in local production. I believe if measures are taken well with the MoU signed for having to establish VW, Toyota, Suzuki and Nissan in the country. With a bit of relief from the IMF, there surely is a forecast which suggests rapid GDP growth in Ghana will visibly impact the country’s automobile sector.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stated in one of his addresses that the signing of the MoU with Toyota was in line with his government’s vision of making Ghana an automotive hub for West Africa and the larger African market.

“We are attaching a great deal of importance to the initiative and development… We want to assure you that, whatever it is we can do on the side of the Ghana government to provide you with the necessary support and assurance that the investment you are going to make in our country will be worth your while, you can count on us to do that,” the Ghanaian leader said.

Toyota’s decision to invest in Ghana comes is surprising considering Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier urged the automobile company to establish its plants in Nigeria. Instead, the company announced Ghana as its choice during the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) held in Japan.

This definitely is a huge disappointment for Nigeria. But the automaker insists that Ghana was a more strategic destination to propel growth for the company. Toyota’s Chief Operations Officer in charge of the Africa Division, Imai Toshimitsu, said Ghana was chosen due to its “favourable economic climate.”

The automotive industry is a chief sector that can drive economic force. Ghana has a lively economy that’s become particularly attractive to importers of used vehicles. Recently, parliament has adopted and approved the Joint Committees on Finance, Trade and Industry and Tourism report for amendments to be made in the Customs Act, 2015.

It said Volkswagen would start its operation in the first quarter of 2020, Toyota in August 2020, Suzuki before the end of 2020, Nissan second quarter of 2020, while discussion pertaining to the operations of Renault, Kia and Hyundai were ongoing.

The Customs (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to amend the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891) to provide incentives for automotive manufacturers and assemblers registered under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturing Development Programme (GAMDP).

It is said that, it will prohibit the importation of salvaged motor vehicles comprising wrecked, destroyed, or physically damaged by collision, fire, water or other occurrences as well as specified motor vehicles over 10 years of age into the country.

The Bill will also increase the import duty on specific motor vehicles and provide import duty exemptions for the security agencies and officers of the security agencies especially those who go on various assignments and peacekeeping in the security interest of Ghana.

The government, in August 2019, launched the GAMDP to promote the manufacture of automobiles for both domestic market and West Africa sub-region as it has allowed auto-manufacturers like VW, Toyota and Nissan to establish its make in the country.

The programme is part of the efforts by the government to develop some strategic anchor industries that will promote economic development in the country. A report said the committee has been informed that the Ministry of Trade and Industry is in advance discussion with the interested manufacturers.

Automobile counterfeit components

Counterfeit components of car parts can be dangerous for road users and are a growing problem for the automotive industry in the country. It is 63 years since our independence and we cannot even do banning of fake spare parts and even give the automobile companies in the country a chance to deliver.

Measures needs to be implemented both at the government level and by the industry in a bid to tackle this crime. In the US, manufacturers represented by the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council (A2C2) are actively lobbying for change and have succeeded in enacting legislation in several states.

Due to its lucrative style, Sophie Peresson, Director of the Knowledge Centre at Innovation Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting And Piracy (BASCAP), an International Chamber of Commerce body, says: “The amount of fake parts being made and distributed continues to rise despite efforts by national governments and industry actors… the main driver behind this scourge is easy money; fake automotive components are a highly lucrative business for counterfeiters.”

According to Peresson, parts which are faked in large volumes include brake pads and airbags, both of which are critical to driver and passenger safety (see box below for details). Moreover, consumers are usually easily duped by fakes because it is difficult to distinguish a fake automotive part from a legitimate one simply by looking at the outer appearance. This is even more the case when it comes to online transactions. Consequently, consumers often inadvertently purchase products that are sub-standard and could be unsafe.