Clearing agents, spare parts dealers declare demo over ban on salvaged car imports

A coalition of car and spare parts dealers, clearing agents, and artisans have set Thursday, August 27, 2020, to stage a demonstration.

According to the group, the action is to press home demands for the government to reverse the planned ban on importation of salvaged vehicles.

The group in a statement said the Customs Amendment Act, 2020 which is expected to take effect in November 2020 will lead to massive job losses within the sector.

The car dealers who are based in the Tema, Spintex and Ashaiman communities said: “the protest is to serve as a strong signal to the government that its decision will collapse our business and deprive more than 20,000 artisans of our livelihood if the policy is rolled out on 1st November, 2020.”

They said all the meetings they have had with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as the president, Nana Akufo-Addo on the matter, have failed to yield positive results.

The groups said their demonstrations will be held across the country “starting with Tema followed by Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale respectively to register our protest against the implementation of the policy on 1st November 2020.”

“We therefore call on all our members to come out in their numbers in support of this protest march to save our business,” the statement added.

The Customs Amendment Act 2020 among other things is to provide incentives for the automobile manufacturers and assemblers registered under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturers Programme and prohibit the importation of salvaged motor vehicles and cars over ten years of age into the country.

Since the passage of the law, some local vehicle dealers have been protesting against it.

They contend that the Bill when it takes effect in November will negatively impact their business and cause several local artisans within the value vehicle importation value chain to go out of business, but the government has indicated its resolve to ensure that the bill comes into full force come November.

Source: Citi