from RUSSELL ADADEVOH in Accra, Ghana
ACCRA, (CAJ News) – PLANS are at an advanced stage for the opening of Nissan’s multimillion-dollar plant in Ghana.
The Navara production facility in the capital, Accra, will be 100 percent Ghanaian operated by the Japan Motors Trading Company (JMTC), which invested US$3 million into its construction, following Ghana’s drafting of its automotive development policy to encourage investment in the sector.
JMTC and Nissan pledged their support to the policy.
“We both want to create a new future for the sector, and change the lives of the people who build, test and drive these vehicles,” said Salem Kalmoni, Managing Director Japan Motors.
On Thursday, 12 Ghanaian technicians were to graduate from Nissan’s plant, ready to spearhead the launch of the assembly plant.
For the last 12 weeks, they have been learning how to assemble the Japanese automaker’s legendary Navara, which is currently being built in Africa, at the Rosslyn plant in South Africa, and expected to start rolling off the assembly lines from the end of this month and on sale across African markets in the months that follow.
The comprehensive training programme course will equip the trainees with the ability to assemble the new Nissan Navara and learn the principles of the Nissan Production Way.
“The production of a vehicle is intricate, so the training course we have been offering will not be the end of our work in supporting the Ghanaian team’s capabilities,” said.
This is one of the many steps taken to support a sustainable relationship between South Africa and Ghana going forward.
“This is a wonderful moment for us as a global company with incredible African roots,” said Mike Whitfield, Managing Director of Nissan.
“We set out to build a vehicle in Africa for Africa by Africans with the Navara, which we are about to achieve from our Nissan South African plant.”
Nissan is exploring other countries in Africa where there is similar potential.
– CAJ News