By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, July 18, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, Mr. John Darko on Friday, raised concern about the potential impact of Ghana’s green transition on the country’s auto mechanics.
He said, with the government’s recent creation of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, the shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) could lead to significant job losses in the industry, particularly in his constituency.
“There is nothing more important in nation building than job creation,” he said.
Mr Darko made the remarks in his statement on “Green Transition and its Effects on the Auto Mechanics in Suame Industrial Area,” on the Floor of the House.
He said, “Our fixation on green transition… will take away jobs from over a million Ghanaians whose jobs depend on fixing combustion engines across the country,” inquiring if the jobs that came with EVs could replace the loss of the millions?
Mr Darko highlighted that the Suame constituency was an industrialised area with many workshops for metal, artisanal engineering, and vehicle repairs, providing direct and indirect jobs to about 500,000 Ghanaians.
He has therefore expressed concerns that the phasing out of combustion engines would lead to job losses for workers specialising in engine blocks, cylinder heads, intake and exhaust valves, and other related services.
As a result, the Suame MP urged the government to be deliberate and purposeful in its approach to replace the obvious job losses that would come with the influx of EVs.
Also, he hoped to lead a private member’s bill that would mandate the executive to set aside funds and take practical steps to prepare auto mechanics across the country with training and technology to face the eventual future.
The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has reaffirmed its commitment to assembling combustion engine vehicles and promoting clean energy, while Ghana has also unveiled West Africa’s largest floating solar power plant, showcasing its efforts to increase its use of clean energy.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo