Strong indications have emerged on the growing preparedness of Ghana as the motor manufacturing hub for the west and sub-Saharan Africa.
Not up to one after Volkswagen Group sealed understanding to build world class plant after conglomerates like Renault, Volvo, Peugeot and Sinotruck, the University of Ghana (UG) and Toyota Ghana Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of a multi-purpose engineering and training workshop on campus.
Business Hilights Ghana Bureau reports that the engineering facility is estimated to cost three million dollars, and the amount would be disbursed to the UG over a ten-year period.
It was further gathered that based on the success of the training institute, Toyota may begin manufacturing in Ghana.
Analysts say why several leaders in global automobiles are facing Ghana instead of Nigeria that has the target market are based on a number of factors including difficult ease of doing business, hostile tax regime and government’s auto policy inconsistencies over time.
In his remarks during the MoU signing ceremony in Accra, Managing Director of Toyota Ghana Limited, Mr Takuya Kajiura who signed on behalf of Toyota noted that the scheme was basically meant to strengthen the existing ties between Ghana and Japan.
He recalled that “As a company, Toyota Ghana had immensely benefited from human resource capital, which was developed by Ghana’s educational system, including the University of Ghana.
While stressing that “We consider this investment as an opportunity for the development of human resource in the country, as well as business growth,” he said “The agreement proved that the academia and industry could collaborate and promote socio-economic progress, through the enrichment of human capital”.
Responding, Provost, College of Basic and Applied Sciences at UG, Professor Daniel Kwadwo Asiedu saw the occasion as “one of a kind”, adding, “We look forward to its successful implementation”.
“It is our hope that this agreement will open doors for more and similar achievements.”
Also commenting, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, who initialled for the University said, the agreement was part of efforts to bridge the gap between the academia and industry in the growth of automobile manufacturing in West Africa.
The signing ceremony was supervised by the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Tsutomu Himeno.
