President Akufo-Addo on Monday, August 3 2020, unveiled the first VW-assembled car in Ghana.
The event was held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra.
The President in his speech said the government will do everything within its power to ensure VW succeeds in Ghana and assured the public that many more foreign companies are eager to set up assembling plants in Ghana.
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"We have put all doubting Thomases to bed and before the 2016 elections we promised to improve the economy by channelling some of our energy into the automobile sector and that is what we have done. We want to do much of assembling which will reduce importation of second-hand vehicles and this will also go a long way to reduce unemployment. I assure VW that the government will support them in all spheres of their work. Other automobile companies who have intentions of setting up plants will soon follow the footsteps of VW. Gov't will continue to do it all it can to attract local and international automobile companies. I am confident that Ghana is on the cast of a bold new beginning. This is the first and many more to come, the government is bent on developing the country again."
In March this year, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanten, visited the assembling plant of Volkswagen (VW) at the North Industrial Area in Accra, to have first-hand insight regarding the ongoing work of the automobile giant.
Accompanied by some officials of the Trade Ministry, Mr Kyeremanten expressed satisfaction with the facility of VW.
In his State of the Nation Address, President Akufo-Addo said VW was due to start production by the end of April 2020.
According to him, Sinotruk, which also expressed interest in Ghana, will also begin assembling a plant this year.
“Toyota is scheduled to start the assembly of vehicles in Tema in the last quarter of this year. We have high hopes for this new industry, which has come to join our Kantankaâ€, the President mentioned.
The establishment of these assembling plants is expected to create some thousands of jobs for Ghanaians, particularly mechanical and electrical engineers.
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