By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Kokompe, March 27, GNA – Mr Justice Jeo Aryitey, group Chairperson of the Western Region branch of the Ghana National Association of Garages has appealed for master craftsmen to be involved during inspection of vehicles brought into the country at the ports.
He added that they had long standing experience in servicing second-hand vehicles and could easily identify which vehicle was accident vehicle or which one should be allowed into the country.
The government must also expedite action on the review of the ban on salvage vehicles since the matter at hand was cardinal to the survival and stability of the auto mechanic industry in Ghana.
He made these complaints on Wednesday, at a stakeholders’ meeting with the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu- Agyare, in Takoradi, to discuss the ban of salvage vehicles, as enshrined in the Customs Amendment Act, 2020 (Act 1014), but, yet to be implemented.
The group chair further complained about the effects of high taxes, including import and export duties, on their operations.
The government’s efforts in reducing some nuisance taxes, such as those on betting, lottery, and the electronic transaction were lauded but, observed that import duties had not been revised.
“As an industry that depends on imported spare parts and equipment, the high import duties significantly increase our costs, making it unbearable for businesses to thrive. We appeal to you to advocate for a revision of these duties to provide relief to businesses in our Sector.” the Regional Chair added.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) together with relevant industry players defined salvage vehicles under “GS 4510 – road vehicles, with requirements for “Imported Used Motor Vehicles” including a motor vehicle that has suffered minor or major damages.
They included a vehicle that had been critically damaged to the extent that any part of the safety cage and or chassis is broken, cracked, bent, or twisted or a vehicle abandoned and has a value only as a source of parts and scrap metal.
Mr Aryitey said, the auto mechanic industry believed that the law would affect spare parts, welding, and spraying business within the garages.
He mentioned that garages were currently in the final stages of securing state land to provide permanent structures and ensure the stability of their members and appealed to the minister to help expedite the final stages to ensure a smooth and successful acquisition.
He also appealed to the government to extend financial supports the industry at lower interest rates on loans, access to grants, and structured financial aid to provide the much-needed capital support for artisans and mechanics, enabling them to expand and modernise their businesses.
The auto mechanics and artisanal industries, Mr Aryitey maintained, remained an integral to Ghana’s economic structure, “yet we continue to grapple with several challenges that require urgent attention.”
The District Chairperson, Kokompe branch, Charles Mensah said, the security situation within the Kokompe enclave was alarming and continued to hinder business growth as incidents of theft and vandalism had left many of the members vulnerable, and urged the government to help safeguard the industry.
He added “Kokompe’s accessibility remains a major concern as we have only one major route serving the entire area. We look forward to working closely with your office to ensure meaningful progress in addressing these challenges.”
Mr Mensah spoke about the unutilised training Centre, with an office complex, completed in 2019 through a collaboration between the Government of Ghana and the Government of France.
Designed to train the youth in motor artisanal works, to be said, the centre remained unused, with equipment left to deteriorate.
“This unfortunate situation stems from the refusal of our predecessors to hand over the keys for proper operations to commence. We are deeply saddened by this wasted opportunity, and we plead with you, Honorable Minister, to intervene and equip this facility with the necessary tools to fulfill its purpose.”
Meanwhile, Mrs Ofosu-Agyare, who could not attend the Kokompe meeting due to flight challenges, assured via telephone, that the government would review the law on ban on salvage vehicles together with GSA and stakeholders, to ensure safety and environmental standards.
GNA
JP/KOA