Dar es Salaam. Ghana is considering establishing an automobile assembly plant in Tanzania in order to strengthen trade with East Africa.
The plan under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is to persuade Kantanka Motor Company to set up a car assembly plant, Kofi Addo, chief commercial officer of Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, told The Citizen yesterday. told.
“The good thing is that Kantaka is an assembly plant in Ghana that manufactures cars and vehicles based on the African environment. It’s good to have them come,” Addo said.
Mr. Addo was speaking at the official opening ceremony of the five-day Ghana Expo 2024 themed “Accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA to strengthen Ghana-Tanzania relations.”
51 Ghanaian companies participated in the expo, displaying a variety of products including agricultural processing, beverages, cosmetics, plastics and rubber, clothing, leather, and ICT-related services. Mr Addo, who spoke on behalf of Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry Kobina Hammond, said the establishment of an assembly plant in Tanzania must be developed under AFCTA.
“When I return to Ghana, I will have discussions with Kantaka Company to talk about the Tanzanian market and the opportunities available,” he said.
Kantanka Automobile manufactures Kantanka brand vehicles in five different models. Kantanka Onantefo SUV, Kantanka Omama Luxury and Regular Pickup, Kantanka K71 Mini SUV, Kantanka Mensah Saloon, Kantanka Amoanimah Saloon Car.
He called on participants to give their all to the Expo, seize the opportunities before them and work together towards a “prosperous and interconnected Africa”. Ms. Constance Besse, Private Sector Coordinator of AfCFTA’s Directed Trade Initiative in Ivory Coast, said that since the ratification of the Continental Trade Agreement, import and export numbers have remained low.
He said he intends to increase the number of countries joining the GTI by the end of 2024 through further private sector engagement, education and awareness-raising of AfCFTA operational tools.
“We are also considering the upcoming Biashara Africa (Business Forum) event in May 2024 to enable further active participation of the private sector, particularly MSMEs. ” he said.