The Takoradi Kokompe Branch of the Ghana National Association of Garages has expressed their readiness to switch to a 24-hour economy to provide service if the government provides the security and an alternative access route to the biggest auto enclave in the Western Region.

Speaking after interactions with a delegation from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Justice Aryitey, said the Kokompe auto enclave held the prospect of starting 24-hour services to help vehicle owners save time and increase productivity.

Police station

“What we need now is for the government to provide us with a police station, fire station, and access road to make the place safe and secure for our clients who cut across all sectors of the economy,” he said.

Mr Aryitey said due to the lack of security and a fire station, they have had issues of theft and fire outbreaks that could have been prevented “We think that we cannot do without security, as it is now, we do not have a police station and a fire service and in case of an emergency, we have to wait for hours.”

He explained, “With security, we can do 24-hour services and also initiate emergency services – when workers who want to change parts of their vehicles, change oil and other forms of maintenance, the vehicle owners could bring their vehicles in the evening after close of work and in the morning the vehicles will be ready for pick up or delivered to the owners.”

24-hour service 

“Again with the 24-hour service, and with security on the Takoradi-Cape Coast Elubo international highway, we at Kokompe Garage could set up emergency lines and attend to breakdown vehicles in the night to move them to safety,” Mr Aryitey said.

He said the presence of the ministry’s delegation was a clear indication of the government’s commitment to industry dialogue and national progress, “It is important to note that the auto mechanics and artisanal industries remain an integral part of the country’s economic structure and yet we continue to grapple with several challenges that require urgent attention.”

The association, he said acknowledged the government's efforts in reducing some nuisance taxes such as those on betting, lottery, covid levy and the E-Levy, “however, we have observed that import duties have 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 hence the need to look at it.” 

He said the other challenges had to do with the land acquisition process and added that they were currently at the final stages of securing state land for the association, with a long-standing effort to provide permanent structures and stability for members.

Skills development

The association said it had a lot to offer the state in terms of skills development, job creation, and service to the industry and that the association required urgent support to access financial assistance as well as for women entrepreneurs.

Supporting women within the space, he said would serve as a huge step towards gender inclusivity and economic growth and that they supported members with loans at a low interest rate.

The team from the ministry led by Kojo Annobil, Head of the Automobile Development Centre of the Ministry, explained the country’s automotive development policy with a vision of making the country a fully integrated and competitive industrial hub for the automotive industry in the West African sub-region.  

He acknowledged the contribution of local garages and that the interactions with them were the first step towards dialogues that would enhance the sector.

He said there were issues raised with the importation of salvage vehicles which were not implemented even after the interactions with all stakeholders due to the inability to clearly define what constitutes salvage vehicles.