Features
Certification of locally assembled vehicles
The story of two friends who stayed in the same village called “Papaasa” somewhere in the Eastern Region were close to each other until in their early 20s when one of them decided to move away from the other because of the lazy behaviour put up by the other friend.
The lazy person known as “Atadwe” was so lazy that washing his own clothes to make him look neat was a big problem for him. The other friend known as “Din Pa Na Eye” stayed away from this lazy friend and was able to invest in his own business to become independent of any other person in the village. This was a positive behaviour worthy of emulation.
Not long ago, the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hinted of plans to set up an automobile industry in Ghana to allow the building of local assembled vehicles in the country to reduce dependency on countries that manufacture such vehicles for export.
AUTOMOBILE POLICY
The decision of the government to set up an automobile industry in the country is a well thought-through policy that will ultimately benefit the country in a number of ways. The automobile policy requires the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to play a useful role and ensure that automobiles will be manufactured for both the domestic and the sub-region of West Africa.
In fact, the GSA is required to implement internationally recognised standards and regulations for automobile manufacturing. The implementation of the standards includes compulsory vehicle standards, homologation (vehicle certification), conformity assessment as well as entire vehicle marking to ensure the safety, efficiency and environmental compliance of Ghana’s vehicle fleet. This is an encouraging development because standards and regulations help to facilitate Asset-backed Vehicle Financing thereby enabling the manufacture of the value of the vehicle fleet.
The implementation of these national standards was originally meant to begin in January 2020. Unfortunately, it was delayed due to a slowing down in the ratification of the Customs Amendment Bill. The delay in the ratification of that Bill slowed down the implementation process.
The Bill was eventually passed by Parliament in March 2020, but the country’s determination to move at a faster rate on the issue was once again delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that despite these challenges, in June 2020, the GSA was able to begin its activities in vehicle standardisation to ensure the quality and safety of the first vehicles that were assembled in the country.
All these go to show that the country, with determination, has the capacity to strive shoulder to shoulder with others in the world. Having developed the standards, the GSA is now in a position to certify vehicles that are manufactured elsewhere, within the country or assembled in Ghana.
STANDARDISATION & CERTIFICATION
The standardisation and also certification of the automobile industry in the country is a good move that have been initiated by the government. A number of reasons could be identified as motives behind the move. In the first place, the President thought it wise to indigenise the automobile industry. This way, appropriate skills and technology could be passed on to Ghanaians employed in that sector.
There is also another reason the President thought of a local automobile industry in Ghana. The issue of employment is relevant here because, technical skills employed in that sector could be utilised to form the basis of employment in the sector. Again, world-trained people with marketing skills can also make use of their knowledge to help promote and sell the vehicles manufactured or assembled in Ghana. These will help to reduce unemployment in the country.
Another important reason for the President’s decision relates to attracting attention to Ghana as a hub for the production of vehicles in the sub-region of West Africa. This move is also likely to influence neighbouring states in West Africa and the rest of Africa to place their orders of vehicles from Ghana.
WORKING GROUP TECHNICAL SESSION
In line with the desire to set up an automobile industry in the country, a Working Group Technical Session (WGTS) was set up to see to the review of standards within a certain period. This working group began the review and revision of 15 automobile lubricant national standards. In addition, the group developed also Working Drafts. All these were done in the month of May 2021.
In fact, by the end of May 2021, the Standards Authority had been able to complete the homologation or certification of 14 automobile vehicle models either imported into the country as Fully-Built-Units (FBU) or assembled in Ghana from Semi-Knocked Down Kits.
A number of models were assembled here. Indeed, Homologated Models that were dealt with included VW’s Tiguan, Amarok and Teramont. Others were Gol, Polo, Passat and T-cross, Toyota’s Hilux, Corolla cross, Fortuner and Rav 4. The rest of the Homologated Models dealt with were Land Cruiser Prado, Isuzu’s D-max Pick-up and Changan’s Hunter Pick-up.
As of now the Authority is working on the homologation of an additional 14 models from Ford, Hyundai, Honda, Changan, Citroen, Peugeot and VW.
The homologation of the vehicles is meant to achieve quality and safety by ensuring that all the models are produced according to required standards. The certification or homologation of the models is meant to ensure that the models are fit-for-purpose and ensure value for money for customers who may be interested in purchasing them.
GHANA BEYOND AID
It is quite good that the Ghanaian society has foreseen the need to promote the assembling or production of vehicles in the country. This is in line with Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision of Ghana Beyond Aid which is an economic strategy aimed at ensuring that the country moves on gradually to ultimately depend on its own self in the production of certain goods and services.
With this development, the cash base of the economy will expand to include incomes from purchases made by customers outside the country for such vehicles. What this means is that it will help in the strengthening of the local currency, that is, the Cedi against other currencies.
The establishment of a successful automobile industry greatly depends on ensuring that measures are taken to conform to standards. In this case, the application of standards has come in form of homologation or certification of the models for the purpose of safety, quality as well as fit-for-purpose. This shows that the Ghana Standards Authority is playing its part to ensure that the expected quality is guaranteed.
Once this is done, the vehicles produced here would be comparable in terms of quality to others produced in any part of the world. Indeed, it has been learnt that because of the absence of automobile industry in the country, some of the brand vehicles manufactured and imported into the country had doors and other parts that were sub-standard. What all this means is that Ghana is gradually rubbing shoulder to shoulder with other vehicle manufacturing countries in the world.
This is a bold step that must be greatly supported by all stakeholders because if for nothing at all it shows the determination of the Ghanaian leader, Nana Akufo-Addo, to ensure that the country is pushed to greater heights. Again, as a result of this, Ghana will be accorded the needed respect as far as vehicle production or assembling is concerned.
No country is an island so each one needs to depend on the other for development. However, countries must know the limit of dependence and note that their dependence on others should not be pursued in perpetuity but used as a stepping-stone to leap forward to achieve a reasonable measure of economic independence. This is what President Akufo-Addo is striving to achieve to enable the country to depend on its own self in terms of national economic development in the automobile manufacturing sector. It shows that the government is making every effort “to fix Ghana”.
This is good news that must be told to the rest of the world because it is better than going round the world with a cup in hand “begging for alms”.
Contact email/whatsApp of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
Features
The Prophet part 4
Antobam woke up with a terrible headache. He checked the time on his mobile phone, 2:30 am. “What! Where is the money?” He asked aloud. “Where are those girls? Why did I drink so much of that whisky? What were those two girls up to?” He sat up on the bed and noticed a bulge close to the pillow.
He lifted the mattress and picked up the newspaper wrappers with the neatly arranged notes. He saw the neatly written record of the value of the notes. No, those girls are not thieves.
“It was my mistake. If I hadn’t drank myself to sleep they would be here in bed with me, giving me the time of my life. Pretty girls, those two. And so loyal and honest. Tomorrow will be different.”
“I will not drink any whisky, and I will show them that I am a real man. Just then he heard the whispers. Very soon it will be time, they seemed to be saying. This is an important day.”
The gold dealer will bring lots of money. Give him some of the liquid to drink, and we will prepare him. He will do very big business, and he will give you anything you ask for. There will be more miracles and testimonies today.
Antobam smiled to himself. “I am going to be a very rich man in only a few days man. Money, power, and women. Wow! Antobam got to the grounds at 5, but there were quite a number of people waiting.
Mr Kwame Dofu was among them. He greeted them all, and they came around to shake his hand. “My brothers and sisters, I assure you that whatever your problem is, you will not go home without a solution.” Shouts of “Amen” “thank” you Osofo and “you are a true man of God” responded.
“Please take your seats, and start talking to the great one about whatever bothers you. Before the service is over, there will be a solution.” He waved Mr Dofu over, and went with him to the wooden structure that serves as a temporary office.
“My brother, I have done quite a lot of work on the issue you came to see me about. I have prepared a special, powerful package for you. Take this, drink it, and go back to your business. I want to see you in two weeks.”
Beaming with smiles, Mr Dofu drank the foul smelling liquid in two gulps, said a big thank you to Antobam and took his leave. “I believe you, Papa Osofo. And I assure you that I will reward you, big time.”
Just when Osofo Antubam finished with Mr Dofu, Mary and Suzzie went over to him. “Good Morning ladies. I am very sorry about yesterday. I drank too much of the stuff you gave me. Today will be different, I assure you.”
“Don’t worry, Osofo. Since you are now setting things up, our main concern now is to help you to put things in place, and to make you comfortable. We are always there to serve you. This morning, Osofo, we want to go and clean up your place, and prepare something nice for you when you close.
And before coming to church, we will pass by the bank and collect the forms. After you have signed them, the account will be open. You can check the payments anytime and, of course, issue cheques whenever you need money.”
“Suzzie and Mary, I am happy I picked the two of you from the very start. Listen, I will take good care of you, okay? Here is some money. Buy whatever you need for the errands you have mentioned.
And here is the key. Please come back as early as you can. You know I need you here.” The service was very lively. The lively singing of praise songs was followed by one and a half hours of testimonies.
Most of them related to money – big sales, new jobs and overdue debts paid. But there were also testimonies about healing. Barren women had taken seed, and, of course, several men who had lost their bedroom authority had regained them, to the delight of their partners.
As he had promised, Antobam preached for only 30 minutes, exhorting the congregation to attend church regularly, pay their tithes and offerings, and strictly follow his ‘directions’ for securing solutions to their problems.
After another round of praises during which the congregation danced to the floor to drop their offering, he closed the service, grabbed the big bowl which was full to the brim with money, and moved to his desk. A long queue was quickly formed at the desk.
Meanwhile, Mary and Suzzie had gone to give Antobam’s place quite a decent look. A new bedsheet and pillows, a secondhand carpet and four plastic chairs placed in the verandah had done the trick.
They also prepared two fish and chicken stews. After all these, they rushed to the National Savings Bank and collected application forms for opening current and savings accounts.
They joined the service a few minutes before the main session closed. Antobam looked round and saw, to his relief, Mary and Suzzie moving towards him. “Hello ladies. What have you been up to?” “Quite a bit, Osofo. We’ve just collected your drink. Here you are. We’ve made a few changes at your place. I think you will like it. You will also have something nice to eat. Now, here are the forms for the savings and current accounts.
If you will sign them, the bank will open the account. From today, we can pay all monies direct into the account.” ‘How can I thank you, ladies?” “You don’t need to thank us,” Suzzie said. “It is our duty to help a man of God succeed.” “Okay, my ladies, please take the offerings and count them as you did yesterday.
You can add the payments made after the consultations. Will it be possible to pay them into the account today?” “Yes,” Mary said. “The bank closes at four. If we leave here at three, we would be there just in time.”
The two friends started counting, as Osofo Antobam gave his clients his directions for solving their problems. On quite a few occasions he closed his eyes as if he was receiving direction from above on what to do.
But as the fetish priest at the Nana Kofi Broni shrine and the dwarfs had assured him, the solutions would certainly be provided. Having heard the huge testimonies earlier in the day, the clients parted with substantial sums of money in expectation.
By Ekow de Heer
Features
The issue of spiritual father in our churches
A student was supposed to go to school as the natural cause of events should be when universities or schools in general opens but this was not the case in a certain young man’s life.
He decided to postpone his trip because apparently he could not get to meet his pastor, his spiritual father. The question is, should this spiritual father die, will the young man’s life come to an end?
Does it mean in such an instance, he is going to curtail his education? This is a worrying trend in a lot of churches where the pastors use this notion of spiritual father to manipulate members especially the youth.
Some unscrupulous pastors utilise this spiritual father concept to have affairs with gullible young ladies in their churches.
Now with homosexuality gradually making inroads into some of the churches, young men are becoming vulnerable to pastors who have hidden homosexual inclinations.
This spiritual father concept is a Biblical concept that runs through both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. We see it in 2 Kings 4:12 where Gehazi is serving Elisha and also in the New Testament we see Paul relating to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:2 as a Spiritual Father.
In fact, the concept of spiritual father is a good thing if executed according to the word of God since it helps in guiding the younger ones. However, it becomes problematic when it is being executed by unscrupulous wolves in sheepskins as described by Jesus in Mathew 7:15.
I see it as a way that these unscrupulous so-called men of God maintain their hold on the congregants so they do not question their unchristian actions.
One of the things I have observed since I got born again many years ago is that, any pastor who often insists that members recognise that he is their spiritual father is a warning sign that he is doing some wrong things or is about to indulge in some wrong things.
A parent complained about how his daughter was being influenced by a pastor of the church she attends and how worried he was. I am sure there are many parents out there with stories to tell about how their wards are being made to see their pastors almost like their Jesus.
These pastors have managed to make their congregants so loyal to them and to believe in them so much that it is terrifying, as a parent.
The way things are going, an immediate intervention is required otherwise I am not a prophet of doom but I forsee unfortunate instances where parents burst into church auditoriums and star shooting some Pastors out of frustration and anger.
We cannot look on unconcerned as a society and allow unscrupulous fraudsters using the name of God to create problems for families. My recommendation is for a certain amount of regulation in order to bring some sanity in religious practices.
I agree that ordinarily regulating religious practices makes it a bit restrictive in terms of freedom of worship as enshrined in our constitution but given the way things are going, a bit of regulation will not be out of place.
Disgusting stuff are being attributed to some men of God. There are cases of manipulation of young ladies and sometimes married women by so called men of God and it is bringing Christianity and therefore the name of the Lord into disrepute.
Christianity is gradually losing its attractiveness as a result of the negative reportage resulting from disgusting stuff happening in Christian circles. The way some pastors have been manipulating congregants to take money from them leaves much to be desired to the point where they are convincing some of the youth to give out their phones. May God help us.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
