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President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the government has taken the decision to absorb Neoplan Ghan Ltd into its flagship 1-District-1-Factory initiative, in order to help resuscitate the company, which was in decline for a while.
This follows a request made to the President by the Member of Parliament for Bantama, the Hon. Francis Asenso Boakye, and the Managing Director of Neoplan Ghana, Mr. Georges Nassar, for government intervention to save the company from impending collapse.
Neoplan (Ghana) Ltd was established in 1974 under the Kutu Acheampong regime, as a joint venture between the Government of Ghana and Gottlob Auwarter GmbH to produce buses for Ghana’s public transport fleet. Indeed, the company has become the first bus manufacturing plant in West Africa.
It will be recalled that when the NPP government took office in 2001, Neoplan Ghana was hired to build 450 buses for the Metro Mass Transport fleet. This contract was for 8 years, ending in July 2010.
Since then, the company has not been able to secure such a government contract and, given the company’s inability to secure orders from the private sector, its operations have been limited to repair services and bus maintenance, which has resulted in recurring losses.
Visit of the company’s premises on Monday 4e October 2021, the last day of his 4-day tour of the company, the chairman noted that it was under the government of John Agyekum Kufuor, in 2001, that the company’s fortunes were revived, and he the same will be under his administration.
Responding to a direct request from the General Manager of Neoplan for Metro Mass Transit Ltd to place orders for the supply of buses to Neoplan, President Akufo-Addo indicated that “we will make sure this order is placed very soon. ”
For his part, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen, said Neoplan has been a household name since the 1970s and, just as former chairman Kufuor did to ensure the company’s relaunch, so too will chairman Akufo-Addo.
He stressed that the program pursued by President Akfo-Addo since taking office in 2017 was to move Ghana from being a mere producer and exporter of raw materials to an industrialized value-added economy, which is the safest . way to create the number of jobs necessary for the masses.
Neoplan, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, was responsible for the production and distribution of 450 buses for Metro Mass Transit, some of which are still heavily used.
“The president heard you right. All you want is what Kufuor did, President Akufo-Addo should do the same for you… If Ghana has the money to import buses, which in turn creates jobs for you. foreigners, why don’t we use the same money to import to recapitalize Neoplan? That’s what the president is going to do for you. There are good times in front of Neoplan. Neoplan will increase again, ”added Alan Kyerematen.
Reconstruction of the Anwiankwanta-Obuasi road
President Akufo-Addo also inspected the ongoing work on the construction of the 30-kilometer Anwiankwanta – Obuasi road, which was awarded to MM. Joshob Construction Company Limited, for a contract price of GH ¢ 321,999,853.71.
The project is expected to be completed within 48 calendar months, ending on 18e December 2023, and is funded by the Government of Ghana’s Consolidated Fund.
Rehabilitation works include site clean-up and demolition, provision of roadside drains to ensure proper drainage of the road to ensure the longevity of the pavement, improvement of the soil in sections with boulders, the provision of asphalt concrete pavement and the provision of road markings and road signs to improve the safety of road users.
Currently, the progress of the works is at 82% complete and, when completed, the road will enhance socio-economic activities in the region and facilitate the efficient movement of people and goods to towns such as Anwiankwanta, Daa , Patasi, Kwapia, Dadwen, Obuasi and surrounding communities.
Improving the condition of the road will promote agricultural activities, trade and ensure efficient service delivery in the municipalities of Bekwai and Obuasi and their adjoining districts.
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