We have observed a mischievous project to incite Ghanaians against the proposed setting up of an assembly plant by the German automobile giant, VW in the country.
We find it amazing, even ridiculous that those pushing the agenda are discounting the overwhelming advantages the project is going to visit on the country.
The company’s decision was certainly informed by a number of compelling factors some of which include the stability in the country, good governance and proximity to markets within the West African sub-region.
It is important to note that visits by heads of state of industrialized countries do not just happen. They are the culmination of diplomatic hard work put in by our envoys to the home countries.
That some people would allow their emotions to overshadow their sense of judgment is one of the shortcomings of human kind. Otherwise we would not have some of our compatriots working against a mutually beneficial cooperation between us and an industrialized nation. This class of persons abounds in most societies and it is for the good ones to expose and neutralize them for the common good.
In as much as we appreciate the efforts of the Kantanka group in their vehicle assembling enterprise, we would advise that they disabuse their minds of a monopoly which would never come their way.
In a competitive environment in which we are, other companies cannot be stopped from pitching camp here provided they meet the requirements for doing so.
We do not have to remind the group which appears to be relishing somewhat the efforts of the killjoys who are busy running down the arrangement to have VW set up their plant here that there are many benefits in competition.
What the Kantanka group should be doing now is to enhance the quality of their products and consider the arrival of VW as a blessing in disguise.
They should consider producing cars for the taxi industry for a start and watch how improvement would come their way.
We need more assembly plants to bring down the cost of vehicles so that many more Ghanaians can purchase what has for long been out of their reach.
The economic challenges staring Ghana demand that many companies set up here so that the kitty of the government benefits enormously from an expanded tax net.
Our unemployment challenge cannot be tackled effectively when we close our doors to such industrial giants. With many youth graduating from our tertiary and technical institutions, it is only when such companies set up here that we can effectively reduce the number of the unemployed to the barest minimum.
Technology transfer has multiple benefits which we need to turn our economy around. For many years, such transfer of technology has not materialized to the extent of exacting the massive change that we so desire in our industries.
The project to end the aid syndrome would come to naught if we do not have such technology transfer and the benefits thereof.
Some countries stole technology from others and perfected same to the levels we are witnessing today. If we are blessed to have others come and set up their plants and of course, to engage our youth, we can only sing hallelujah for the rare opportunity.
President Akufo-Addo has just completed his assignment in China; the bottom line of which is to ensure a major turnaround in our fortunes as a country and thankfully the forecast is positive as is the proposed VW assembly plant. Won’t they shut up for once – these mischievous elements?