The Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT-Ghana) said, the Institute will engage government to offer tax exemptions and tax holidays as ways of supporting the Great Kosa Automobile Company Limited (Apostle Safo Kantanka) so as to build a more efficient local automobile industry in the country.
This was revealed by the President of the Institute, Mr. Ebo Hammond when he led some members of the Council on a visit to the Great Kosa Suaye Technological Centre today.
The visit was to acquaint the Institute with the challenges the company is facing and how best the Institute can influence policy directions towards getting the needed support to boost the operations of the company.
Addressing the delegation from CIILT-Ghana, General Manager for Great Kosa Automobile Company, Francis Kojo Kugoji said, Kosa Automobile Company Limited said, although the company needs assistance, it does not necessarily need that in form of financial support from government but that, there must be policies in place to govern the administration of the automobile industry.
He said, there is every need for government to put the necessary steps in place to encourage the local automobile industry, which Apostle Safo Kantanka is building because, a single automobile industry revamps three other industries including rubber, metal and glass.
“We have a rubber manufacturing industry in Ghana and so you can imagine the benefit if we encourage our automobile industry to grow. They will also grow and that means, jobs, business, revenue generation and development,” he said.
He however said, the company had petitioned previous government and Ministries of Trades and Industry, Science and Technology to offer them tax waivers, tax exemptions or tax holidays as given to other companies, some even foreign companies, but to no avail.
“…When we take Nigeria for instance, they have automobile industry and because government attached great importance to that industry, it abolished import duties on automobile parts which is making the industry thrive perfectly. But here in Ghana, our case is different, government will not pay attention to us, and that is our major challenge,” he said.
He indicated that, the Great KOSA Automobile Company can produce on average, 116 cars every month and that the company will re-open vehicle production in the middle of June this year.
The President of CILT-Ghana, Mr. Ebo Hammond on his part commended management of the company for doing a good job.
According to him, Apostle Safo Kantanka’s vision must be seen as Ghana’s vision, hence CILT-Ghana will take up the challenge and impress upon government to consider solutions that will mitigate challenges the company is facing so as to grow the industry.
He averred that, just as automobile industry turned the fortunes of other countries like Japan, America, Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, and United Kingdom among others, Great KOSA Automobile Company can do same if government assist.
He also called on the company to open a new line of production of saloon vehicles and also open show rooms across the country at vantage locations to compete with others in the market.
Mr. Ebo Hammond who was much enthused about the work the Great Kosa Suaye Technological Centre is doing could not hide his appreciation than to urge government to patronise Kantanka range of vehicles to boost the local industry.
Mr. Ebo Hammond has challenged management of the company to enter into partnerships with others to reinforce their effectiveness and re-engineer properly by acquiring more knowledge so as to become more efficient and a market leader.
Other CILT-Ghana Council members also called on the company to begin placing bids for government contracts as far as supply of vehicles are concern and advised them to build their confidence base through reviews from people, organizations that are already using their vehicles.
By: Prosper Agbenyega
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS