Alan Kyerematen (2nd left) with some officials at the plant
MINISTER FOR Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, recently paid a working visit to the first phase of VW Ghana’s Assembling facility in the North Industrial Area, Accra.
Volkswagen, it would be recalled, was the first global automobile company to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to establish a vehicle assembly plant in Ghana under the Ghana Automobile Manufacturing Development Programme.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Jeffrey Oppong Peprah, who accompanied the minister and his team on a tour of the facility, indicated that the company had commenced commercial production under a registered local company, VW Ghana; and was currently producing five Volkswagen models in its Accra plant.
The brands included Tiguan, Amarok Pickup, Passat, Polo and Teramont.
Mr. Peprah told the minister that the company was planning the grand launching of Volkswagen car models made in Ghana soon.
The Trade Minister presented the bonafide Vehicle Assembler Certificate to VW Ghana.
He also commended Thomas Schaefer, Head of Volkswagen Sub Saharan Africa Region, who joined the tour via a virtual link, for the confidence shown in Ghana.
He promised the government’s support to facilitate the development of the second phase of the company to ensure that the country reaped the full benefit of automobile manufacturing.
Mr Kyerematen was accompanied by Subhi Accad, CEO of Universal Motors – Volkswagen’s retailer and a team from the Ministry of Trade and Industry as well as the Ministry of Finance.