My govt won't collapse local automobile industry - Nana Addo

He assured players in the value chain in the importation of second-hand vehicles that the policy of developing the industry is not targeted at the destruction of their business.

According to him, "We will not make a policy that will lead to the destruction of the lives of people like you. It will not make sense at all."

He said "We live in a world where there is constant change and there is the need for us to adapt" adding that the ultimate aim was for Ghana to be self-reliant, provide vehicles for all classes of income earners, cut the importation of vehicles.

He gave the assurance during a meeting with members of the Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana and members of all associations in the value chain of importation, sale, and repair of imported vehicles in the country to discuss concerns raised by the members about the new Automobile Development Policy.

The concerns include lack of a clear definition of salvage vehicles, an increase in import duties, the requirement of certification, among others.

Members of the association had argued that not all Ghanaians could afford the cost of the vehicles being assembled or that would be manufactured in the country.

Addressing their concerns, the President assured them that a team of government delegation would meet them to commence deliberations to address their concerns.

He stated that his policy had always been to ensure that the country became self-reliant and cited an instance during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when some markets in the country nearly collapsed because China, from where they took their imports, had closed its borders.

Speaking on the establishment of Volkswagen in Ghana, he said the basis was to offer low-income earners in Germany at the time cars, just like people at the top who could have access to Delmar, Benz, BMW, among others.

"It is possible, in the well-orchestrated, well-constructed automobile industry in a given country, that all the various ranges of income earners can find a way of satisfying themselves and their needs for cars and not necessarily through foreign imports," he noted.

He stated that at the end of the day, the government's aim was to make laws that would improve the circumstances of the people and that would also find acceptance among the populace.