President John Dramani Mahama has called for Ghana’s mineral resources to be integrated into the country’s emerging automotive value chain, linking mineral production to battery manufacturing, vehicle assembly and exports.
He said Ghana’s mineral resources, together with its renewable energy potential, provide an opportunity to develop an automotive ecosystem that goes beyond the assembly of vehicles using imported components.
President Mahama made the remarks when he commissioned the expanded Zonda Tec Ghana vehicle assembly facility in Tema on Tuesday.
He said Ghana’s automotive industry should evolve towards a more integrated local supply chain, with Ghanaian enterprises producing components and providing services to support vehicle manufacturing.
The President identified battery manufacturing as one of the areas that could create a link between Ghana’s mineral resources and the automotive industry.
He also cited the production of tyres, wiring systems, seats, glass, plastics and metal components as areas where increased local manufacturing could support the development of the automotive value chain.
According to President Mahama, developing these linkages would create opportunities for local businesses and expand employment across the value chain.
The Phase III expansion of the Zonda Tec Ghana facility has a reported annual production capacity of 12,000 vehicles.
President Mahama also called for accessible and longer-term vehicle financing to support demand for locally assembled vehicles, including among public sector workers.
He said the development of a stronger domestic automotive industry would require greater local production and value addition rather than relying primarily on imported components.
The commissioning forms part of government’s efforts to promote manufacturing, local production and value addition as part of Ghana’s industrial development agenda.
