The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured trade groups that he will abolish the proposed mandatory Pre-shipment Verification and Inspection policy for imported used vehicles if he wins the 2028 presidential election.
The policy, which has been suspended, would have required importers of used vehicles to pay an importation certificate fee of around $300 per vehicle. Intended to regulate the importation of used cars into Ghana, the measure has faced strong opposition from the business community, who argue that it would increase costs for importers and ultimately for consumers.
Following an engagement between Dr. Bawumia and members of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), Michael Okyere Baafi, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee, revealed the NPP flagbearer’s pledge. Okyere Baafi emphasized that the party views the inspection regime as unnecessary and is committed to scrapping it entirely if returned to power after the 2028 general elections.
He noted that while the policy is currently suspended due to pressure from the Minority, there is a possibility it could be reintroduced in the future. “After the Minority’s pressure on them, they suspended the policy. The suspension means that they will likely reintroduce the policy, but the good news is that Dr. Bawumia met the GUTA people over the last three days and told them that he will scrap the policy outright when he wins the elections in 2028. The policy will not come back when the NPP assumes office,” Okyere Baafi stated.
He also raised concerns about the financial burden the policy would place on both importers and final consumers, warning that such extra costs would ultimately be transferred to car buyers.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com