Parliament is set to put in place a regulatory framework for the importation of ‘second-hand’ and salvaged vehicles.
This is captured in the Customs Amendment Bill which is on the agenda of the house for consideration.
Speaking at an Encounter with the media, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, indicated that such a regime is necessary for the emerging automobile industry in the country where many global giants are setting up assembly plants to produce for domestic use.
Automobile giants like VW, Toyota, Renault and Nissan, have all expressed interest to set up assembly plants in Ghana, and the Majority Leader argued that the government in creating the enabling environment for these companies, will limit the ‘unfettered’ access to second-hand cars and salvaged vehicles.
“For a start, maybe we can ban the importation of second-hand cars which are more than 10 years-old and then also prevent the import of salvaged vehicles. These are vehicles that have been involved in accidents, floods and people will clean them up and bring them here. They are the reasons why we have so many accidents on our roads. So, it is intended to amend the customs bill to suit the circumstances.”
“We are not going to draw down the curtains overnight. We would suggest to ourselves that once the vehicle assembly plants start rolling out, we will give ourselves up to a period say six months and the law can be activated,” he noted.
Data available from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs Division, indicates that between 2005 and 2016, more than 1 million vehicles were imported into the country; representing an average of 100,000 cars per year.
Out of the total fleet of vehicles imported with the period under review, 80 percent are said to be secondhand vehicles.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Back off and stop the lies about used cars being the cause of accidents in Ghana. The size of Ghana and the level of economic poverty and no middle class with decent incomes do not make it viable for car assembly plants to be established to have local market to support those businesses. Leave secondhand cars alone. The revenue from the Car duties alone, if not for prevalence of corruption, can develop Ghana
Can you imagine what this "minister" is saying??..wow
Mr minister, even in the US, we rebuild salvage vehicles and use them on our roads. The accidents are the results of poor roads and bad driving behavior of some Ghanaian drivers. You know what you are saying is not true. If you and your family can afford a $25000 Toyota Camry, I and my family can't, so we will buy a salvage vehicle and rebuild it to use. Thanks
Well, then many many Ghanaians cannot own vehicles. Most people owning cars today cannot afford sticker prices for brand new vehicles. Maybe you can regulate which accident cars are brought in, eg. the ones that have popped airbags. And to talk of overage cars, I will anyday chooses 11 year Toyota over a new suzuki. Another factor will be loss of revenue at the port.