A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Robert Ahomka-Linsey, has hinted that an automobile assembly plant policy has been finalised and submitted to cabinet for approval.
He said cabinet is currently scrutinising the policy after which it would be submitted to parliament.
The minister stated this yesterday at the opening ceremony of a two-day stakeholder’s sensitisation forum on Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) held in Accra.
Participants at the forum include representatives of the Trade Union Congress, National Board for Small Scale Industries, the mining sector, Private Enterprise Federation, Ghana Medical Association and the security agencies.
Mr Ahomka-Lindsey noted that the policy outlined conditions of the industry, products and production strategies of the supply chain, such as distribution, retailing and possible future directions.
“So far about nine automobile companies including Toyota, Suzuki, Renault, Volkswagen, Nissan and Sinotruck have expressed their readiness to establish assembly plants in the country.
Government is committed in providing the enabling environment for the automobile companies to set up their assembly plants to boost our economies,” he said.
Mr Ahomka–Lensey said stakeholders’ consultations and dialogues were held with relevant individuals and groups to enable them give their inputs into the policy.
“Government is not going to build the assembly plants; its role is to supervise the environment of which government is on track. The relevant business communities had been consulted in drafting the policy,” he added.
Mr Ahomka-Lensey said the objective was to frame the RIA initiative into the national policy for better regulation, stressing that this is a global practices to enhance business.
He mentioned Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, and United Kingdom as countries that have used the RIA to enhance their economies.
Mr Jorge Velazquez Roa, Managing Director, Jacobs, Cordova and Associates, a leading international organisation on regulatory reforms, was optimistic the forum would help shape policies that affect businesses in the country.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN