Ghana President Opens ‘State-Of-The-Art’ Nissan Navara Assembly Plant

By Business Reporter

ACCRA: Ghana President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo on Thursday officially opened the brand name-new state-of-the artwork Nissan Navara assembly around the funds in a development the corporation reported marked the place as the “benchmark for the African automotive industry”.

The plant is the fruits of a journey that began in 2018 when Nissan grew to become the 1st mover in the state to indicator a memorandum of comprehension with the federal government to function towards producing the Ghana Automotive Progress Plan.

Nissan chosen Japan Motors, 1 of its two long standing distributors in the nation, as its licenced assembler in 2020. Get the job done on the 5000 sq. m plant commenced soon afterward and these days, 17 months later on, the plant was formally commissioned by the president as the initially Navaras started rolling off the assembly strains.

Nissan Africa managing director, Mike Whitfield, explained it was an amazing joyous and psychological working experience.

“Less than eight months ago, the Nissan plant in Rosslyn South Africa passed its last test to be given the eco-friendly mild to start production the all new ‘built of more’ Nissan Navara. Suitable at that time, a crucial group from this plant graduated in the identical plant, obtaining been given comprehensive and intensive coaching on the assembling of these cars.

“Just about a month ago, this model-new assembly plant handed its possess final take a look at – the quite exact one that the Rosslyn plant had to pass for the reason that in the entire world of Nissan there is only one particular standard – it is Nissan’s. I can tell you all, without the need of any panic of contradiction, that this is the most fashionable, most condition-of the artwork plant any where in West Africa.”

The plant, he said, was proof of the wonderful community personal partnership concerning the govt of Ghana, Japan Motors and Nissan Africa.

“The existence of this plant is tribute to the passion and motivation of Japan Motors investing US$ 9-million, which in itself would not have been feasible devoid of the stability and certainty presented by the government of Ghana’s progressive automotive marketplace improvement plan which was signed into regulation in history time.

“Ghana currently stands as a benchmark for the African automotive industry, an instance of what can be performed when there is a will and a vision.”

Japan Motors MD, Salem Kalmoni, whose grandfather commenced what would turn out to be Japan Motors 100 many years in the past, mentioned the US $9-million financial investment was evidence of his family’s dedication to the nation and the federal government, generating jobs and prospects in the region.

“To borrow from the Minister of Trade and Marketplace Alan Kyerematen we have in truth ‘put our skin into it’.”

Kalmoni stated he hoped that the authorities would now completely put into action the Ghana Automotive Enhancement Plan, immediately after owning identified vehicle assembly and automotive component producing as a strategic anchor market for its Ten Issue System for Ghana’s industrial advancement.

Whitfield compensated tribute far too to Nissan’s other distributor in Ghana, APL Nissan.

“I am grateful way too nowadays for our continued friendship and association with Subhi Accad and his company APL Nissan Ghana, who collectively with Japan Motors are Nissan’s two sole distributors in Ghana. I have no question that together these two organizations will place Nissan correct back up as the top rated marketing automotive model in Ghana the moment a lot more.”