Features
Certification of locally assembled vehicles
The story of two friends who stayed in the same village called “Papaasa” somewhere in the Eastern Region were close to each other until in their early 20s when one of them decided to move away from the other because of the lazy behaviour put up by the other friend.
The lazy person known as “Atadwe” was so lazy that washing his own clothes to make him look neat was a big problem for him. The other friend known as “Din Pa Na Eye” stayed away from this lazy friend and was able to invest in his own business to become independent of any other person in the village. This was a positive behaviour worthy of emulation.
Not long ago, the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hinted of plans to set up an automobile industry in Ghana to allow the building of local assembled vehicles in the country to reduce dependency on countries that manufacture such vehicles for export.
AUTOMOBILE POLICY
The decision of the government to set up an automobile industry in the country is a well thought-through policy that will ultimately benefit the country in a number of ways. The automobile policy requires the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to play a useful role and ensure that automobiles will be manufactured for both the domestic and the sub-region of West Africa.
In fact, the GSA is required to implement internationally recognised standards and regulations for automobile manufacturing. The implementation of the standards includes compulsory vehicle standards, homologation (vehicle certification), conformity assessment as well as entire vehicle marking to ensure the safety, efficiency and environmental compliance of Ghana’s vehicle fleet. This is an encouraging development because standards and regulations help to facilitate Asset-backed Vehicle Financing thereby enabling the manufacture of the value of the vehicle fleet.
The implementation of these national standards was originally meant to begin in January 2020. Unfortunately, it was delayed due to a slowing down in the ratification of the Customs Amendment Bill. The delay in the ratification of that Bill slowed down the implementation process.
The Bill was eventually passed by Parliament in March 2020, but the country’s determination to move at a faster rate on the issue was once again delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that despite these challenges, in June 2020, the GSA was able to begin its activities in vehicle standardisation to ensure the quality and safety of the first vehicles that were assembled in the country.
All these go to show that the country, with determination, has the capacity to strive shoulder to shoulder with others in the world. Having developed the standards, the GSA is now in a position to certify vehicles that are manufactured elsewhere, within the country or assembled in Ghana.
STANDARDISATION & CERTIFICATION
The standardisation and also certification of the automobile industry in the country is a good move that have been initiated by the government. A number of reasons could be identified as motives behind the move. In the first place, the President thought it wise to indigenise the automobile industry. This way, appropriate skills and technology could be passed on to Ghanaians employed in that sector.
There is also another reason the President thought of a local automobile industry in Ghana. The issue of employment is relevant here because, technical skills employed in that sector could be utilised to form the basis of employment in the sector. Again, world-trained people with marketing skills can also make use of their knowledge to help promote and sell the vehicles manufactured or assembled in Ghana. These will help to reduce unemployment in the country.
Another important reason for the President’s decision relates to attracting attention to Ghana as a hub for the production of vehicles in the sub-region of West Africa. This move is also likely to influence neighbouring states in West Africa and the rest of Africa to place their orders of vehicles from Ghana.
WORKING GROUP TECHNICAL SESSION
In line with the desire to set up an automobile industry in the country, a Working Group Technical Session (WGTS) was set up to see to the review of standards within a certain period. This working group began the review and revision of 15 automobile lubricant national standards. In addition, the group developed also Working Drafts. All these were done in the month of May 2021.
In fact, by the end of May 2021, the Standards Authority had been able to complete the homologation or certification of 14 automobile vehicle models either imported into the country as Fully-Built-Units (FBU) or assembled in Ghana from Semi-Knocked Down Kits.
A number of models were assembled here. Indeed, Homologated Models that were dealt with included VW’s Tiguan, Amarok and Teramont. Others were Gol, Polo, Passat and T-cross, Toyota’s Hilux, Corolla cross, Fortuner and Rav 4. The rest of the Homologated Models dealt with were Land Cruiser Prado, Isuzu’s D-max Pick-up and Changan’s Hunter Pick-up.
As of now the Authority is working on the homologation of an additional 14 models from Ford, Hyundai, Honda, Changan, Citroen, Peugeot and VW.
The homologation of the vehicles is meant to achieve quality and safety by ensuring that all the models are produced according to required standards. The certification or homologation of the models is meant to ensure that the models are fit-for-purpose and ensure value for money for customers who may be interested in purchasing them.
GHANA BEYOND AID
It is quite good that the Ghanaian society has foreseen the need to promote the assembling or production of vehicles in the country. This is in line with Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision of Ghana Beyond Aid which is an economic strategy aimed at ensuring that the country moves on gradually to ultimately depend on its own self in the production of certain goods and services.
With this development, the cash base of the economy will expand to include incomes from purchases made by customers outside the country for such vehicles. What this means is that it will help in the strengthening of the local currency, that is, the Cedi against other currencies.
The establishment of a successful automobile industry greatly depends on ensuring that measures are taken to conform to standards. In this case, the application of standards has come in form of homologation or certification of the models for the purpose of safety, quality as well as fit-for-purpose. This shows that the Ghana Standards Authority is playing its part to ensure that the expected quality is guaranteed.
Once this is done, the vehicles produced here would be comparable in terms of quality to others produced in any part of the world. Indeed, it has been learnt that because of the absence of automobile industry in the country, some of the brand vehicles manufactured and imported into the country had doors and other parts that were sub-standard. What all this means is that Ghana is gradually rubbing shoulder to shoulder with other vehicle manufacturing countries in the world.
This is a bold step that must be greatly supported by all stakeholders because if for nothing at all it shows the determination of the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo-Addo, to ensure that the country is pushed to greater heights. Again, as a result of this, Ghana will be accorded the needed respect as far as vehicle production or assembling is concerned.
No country is an island so each one needs to depend on the other for development. However, countries must know the limit of dependence and note that their dependence on others should not be pursued in perpetuity but used as a stepping-stone to leap forward to achieve a reasonable measure of economic independence. This is what President Akufo-Addo is striving to achieve to enable the country to depend on its own self in terms of national economic development in the automobile manufacturing sector. It shows that the government is making every effort “to fix Ghana”.
This is good news that must be told to the rest of the world because it is better than going round the world with a cup in hand “begging for alms”.
Contact email/whatsApp of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding of these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
WEBSITES:
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/author
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/website
After two weeks of hectic activity up north, I drove to the Tamale airport, parked the car at the Civil Aviation car park as usual, paid the usual parking fee and boarded the plane for Accra.
Over the last two weeks, I had shuffled between three sites where work was close to completion.
One was a seed warehouse, where farmers would come and pick up good quality maize, sorghum and other planting material.
The other was a health facility for new mothers, where they were given basic training on good nutrition and small scale business.
And the third was a set of big boreholes for three farming communities.
The projects usually ran on schedule, but a good deal of time was spent building rapport with the local people, to ensure that they would be well patronised and maintained.
It was great to be working in a situation where one’s work was well appreciated. But it certainly involved a lot of work, and proactivity. And I made sure that I recorded updates online before going to bed in the evening.
When the plane took off, my mind shifted to issues in Accra, the big city. The young guys at my office had done some good work. They had secured five or six houses on a row in a good part of the city, and were close to securing the last.
When we got this property, unusually, Abena greeted them casually, and appeared to be comfortable in the guy’s company.
I was quite disappointed to hear that, because until the last few weeks, it seemed as if Abena and I were heading in a good direction. Apart from the affection I had for her, I liked her family. I decided to take it easy, and allow things to fall in whatever direction.
Normally I would take a taxi to her house from the airport, and pick her up to my place. This time I went to my sisters’ joint, where they sat by me while I enjoyed a drink and a good meal.
“So Little Brother,” Sister Beesiwa said, “what is it we are hearing about our wife-to-be?”
“When did you conclude that she was your wife-to-be? And what have you heard? I’ve only heard a couple of whispers. Ebo and Nana Kwame called to say that they have seen her in the company of—”
“Well said Little Brother,” Sister Baaba said. “By the way, Nana Kwame called an hour ago to ask if you had arrived because he could not reach you. Someone had told him that Jennifer had boasted to someone that she had connected Abena to a wealthy guy who would take care of her.”
I was beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.
“In that case,” Sister Beesiwa said, “you should be glad that Abena is out of your way. She is easily swayed. Anyone who would make a relationship decision based on a friend’s instigation lacks good sense. I hope the guy is as wealthy as they say?”
“Who gets wealthy running a supermarket chain in Ghana?” Sister Baaba said. “Our supermarkets sell mostly imported products. Look at the foreign exchange rate. And remember that Ghanaians buy second-hand shoes and clothes. Supermarkets are not good business here. Perhaps they are showing off that they are wealthy, but in reality they are not doing so well.”
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.”
She said that David Forson was only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her. And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. We would be able to sell all five houses to one big corporate customer, and we had already spoken to a property dealer who was trying to find a buyer in order to get a good commission.
That was going to be my biggest break. I had asked the boys to look for a large tract of land on the outskirts of the city where we could develop our own set of buildings, blocks of storey houses and upscale apartments. Things were going according to plan, and I was quietly excited. However, things were not going so well regarding my relationship with Abena.
My buddies Ebo and Nana Kwame had called to say that they met Abena and her friend Jennifer enjoying lunch with a guy, and Ebo believed that Jennifer was ‘promoting’ an affair between Jennifer and the guy. They were of the view that the promotion seemed to be going in the guy’s favour, because only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her.
And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“As I’ve already said, I will stop by her place, but I will mind my own business from now. Hey, let’s talk family. How are our parents? And my brothers-in-law? And my nephews and nieces? Why don’t we meet on Sunday? I’m going to drop my bags at my place, and go to see Mama and Dad.”
