President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned Phase III of the Zonda Tec Ghana Limited Vehicle Assembly Plant in Tema, describing the expansion as an important milestone in Ghana’s industrialisation drive.
The President said Ghana’s automotive ambitions must go beyond assembling vehicles with imported components to developing a fully integrated domestic industry in which Ghanaian businesses produce vehicle parts, provide services and participate meaningfully across the value chain.
He called for increased investment in the local manufacture of batteries, tyres, wiring harnesses, seats, glass, plastics and metal components, saying this would deepen local value addition, create jobs and strengthen linkages between major manufacturers and Ghanaian businesses.
President Mahama also urged financial institutions to develop longer-term and accessible vehicle financing to enable more Ghanaians, including public-sector workers, to purchase locally assembled vehicles and thereby stimulate demand for Made-in-Ghana automobiles.
From minerals to batteries and vehicles
The President linked Ghana’s automotive ambitions to the country’s mineral resources and renewable-energy potential, particularly the development of electric mobility.
He said Ghana should pursue an industrial value chain that connects its mineral resources to battery production, vehicle manufacturing and ultimately exports.
“From minerals to batteries, from batteries to vehicles, from vehicles to exports, all proudly made in Ghana,” he said.
The government is also working on measures to strengthen local production, including a recently approved Ghana Automotive Component Manufacturing Policy, aimed at encouraging investment in components for both vehicle assembly plants and the aftermarket.
Expansion to create jobs
According to the Information Services Department, Phase III increases Zonda Tec’s annual production capacity to approximately 3,000 heavy and light-duty vehicles. The expansion is expected to almost double the company’s direct employment and generate about 1,000 additional indirect jobs in logistics, maintenance, component supply, distribution and related activities.
Zonda Tec has also established an academy to train young Ghanaians in automotive engineering, while its foundation has introduced scholarship opportunities for Ghanaian students to study automotive manufacturing in China.
President Mahama said the expansion demonstrates the potential for manufacturing to become a major driver of employment, investment and economic transformation.
He further reiterated Government’s ambition to position Ghana as a West African automotive manufacturing hub, using the country’s location and access to the African Continental Free Trade Area market to expand exports.
Source: Information Services Department / 3News
