Hassan Tampuli (left) and Irene Messiba addressing the media
The Ministry of Transport has engaged a section of journalists in Accra to solicit their inputs in the development process of a draft Electric Vehicle (EV) policy framework.
Deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli in his opening remarks said the views offered by stakeholders are expected to help in the decarbonisation of the transport sector in line with global commitments and the National Energy Transition plan 2022.
According to him, his outfit has already engaged other stakeholders in 14 regions and was necessary that the views of the media were included to help shape the narrative on the policy as the Ministry continues the exercise in the remaining two regions.
He explained that the engagement were very crucial to help the government fashion out policies and programmes that would help in the acquisition and use of these vehicles as a number of them have already been imported into the country.
“This is a policy that is aimed at fashioning out the guidelines, standards and the operating mechanism for us to roll out electric vehicles into the country. How do we charge the vehicles, what are the mechanisms for getting some waivers duties and taxes and sometimes how to recover the price buildup in the petroleum sector.
He said that the Ministry was not working in isolation but carrying out the consultations with the Ministries of Environment, Innovation, Science and Technology, Finance, Energy and Public sector reforms.
The Minister also mentioned the need for Ghanaians to brace themselves to understand and appreciate the emergence of the electric vehicles citing the example of Rwanda that already has over a thousand.
He said though Ghana with about 3.2 million vehicles generates very little carbon compared to the European countries, it has become necessary that Ghanaians appreciate the importance of the electric vehicles in reducing carbon emission as Europe would not wait for Africa.
Director of Policy, Planning and Evaluation at the Ministry of Transport, Irene Messiba, for her part said it was imperative that more stakeholders were consulted for input.
She indicated that though the policy is expected to reduce emission by 15 percent by 2030, society could be overtaken by events due to technology hence the need for immediate discussions on the draft policy.
She said the team has already met other stakeholders such as vehicle assemblers, civil society organisation, used car dealers association, new car dealers, persons with disabilities while plans were also underway to meet the Obossey Okai spare parts dealers.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah