Ghana: Ex-President Mahama Promises Scrap Law Banning Importation Of ‘Salvaged’ Vehicles

Flag-bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ghana’s forthcoming election, former President John Dramani Mahama, has said the ‘next’ government would scrap the law that bars the Importation of salvaged vehicles into the country.
Similarly, the former president hinted, the next NDC government will also scrap the proposed increment in the import duty for such salvaged vehicles.

Mr. Mahama who was highlighting some aspects of the NDC’s 2020 manifesto in Accra on Monday evening, September 7, 2020, said the rationale behind the move was to secure the livelihoods of the many Ghanaians who depended on the sector for their daily bread.

The 2020 NDC manifesto is titled: “People’s Manifesto: Jobs, Prosperity and more.”

“We will review the Customs Amendment Act 2020 (Act 1014) to scrap the law banning the importation of salvage vehicles and the proposed implementation of a 35 percent import duty rate. 

“We are going to scrap it in order that salvaged cars are not banned and top duty rate government intends to impose on these vehicles does not happen. 

“This is to safeguard the local automobile industry so that our people in Suame Magazine, Abossey Okai, Komkompe to continue to work to earn a decent living,” Mr. Mahama explained.

The current New Patriotic Party (NPP) in March, passed the Customs (Amendment) Bill, 2020 an amendment of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891).

The new Customs Act banned the importation of accident and salvaged motor vehicles and cars over ten years of age into the country. The Act among other things provides incentives for automobile manufacturers and assemblers registered under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturers Programme.