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Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers of Ghana
Ghana must step up efforts to reach out to the world to phase out fossil fuel vehicles.
Mr. Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary of Ghana Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, said.
He noted that Ghana and many other African countries were moving slowly, saying, “If we don’t act quickly, we may not be able to reap the maximum benefits as planned.”
Mr Amoah, who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said that due to the adverse effects of climate change, the continued rise in fuel prices, the health effects of the vapor inhalation and air quality assurance, the policy development process should be accelerated.
While commending the government for developing a policy manual on electronic vehicles, he proposed that the policy be comprehensive to ensure adequate technology transfer synchronized with the curriculum of specialized higher education institutions, development of infrastructure and capacity building for mechanics.
“We should develop a comprehensive industry that examines what we are moving towards as well as the opportunities that exist for government and the actions that need to be taken,” he noted.
The draft technical regulations and policy framework document will address technical issues related to the mass deployment of electric vehicles in Ghana. It also aims to ensure access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy, to reduce the levels of hydrocarbons and particles in the ambient air and to meet international commitments as part of Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions regarding greenhouse gas emissions by 15% compared to a business. typical emissions scenario by 2030.
The COPEC Executive Secretary mentioned that the Western countries where the majority of vehicles originate have a well-thought-out plan to switch to electricity in the next 10 years, hence the need to redouble their efforts.
Mr Amoah praised Ghana and other African leaders for courting car manufacturers to establish assembly plants on the continent, adding that the goal should now be to attract producers of electric vehicles.
He said Ghana, as the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area, should take steps to attract electronic vehicle producers such as Tesla to partner with local companies, including Kantanka Automobile, to develop their capacities.
He said, “Ghana will be on the right track if we get Tesla to build a factory in the country and train some of our young engineers to understand how electric motors work and how to fix them. When this has received the necessary attention, we will be able to conquer the African market within the next five to ten years ”.
To gain public buy-in, Amoah said import duties on electronic vehicles should be reduced as a bait to entice the average person to switch to electric vehicles so that the government can earn the necessary revenue.
“Considering the income status of Ghanaians, we understand that most of these electric cars, even hybrids, are typically 20-30% more expensive than the hydrocarbon or fossil fuel versions, so it is important not to make the expensive electronic car, ”he noted.
He hinted that COPEC was working with some of the oil companies, in particular Ghana Oil Company and Petrosol to attach charging points to electric vehicles at their respective stations.
Already, there are few companies, in collaboration with the Energy Commission and the agencies concerned, had launched initiatives to promote the use of electric vehicles.
A media report said the European Commission (EU) last week unveiled a proposal that would effectively ban the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles in the EU from 2035, as part of its broad package of revised legislation. on climate and energy – the so-called ‘Package suitable for 55’.
The EU would require new car CO2 emissions in 2030 to be 55% below 2021 levels – a much higher target than the current target of a 37.5% reduction.
And from 2035, new rules would make it impossible to sell new fossil-fueled vehicles in the EU.
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