The Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana is proposing a risk-based approach to the inspection of imported used vehicles, urging the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to prioritise salvage and accident-damaged cars as it reviews plans to reintroduce mandatory pre-shipment inspections.
The Union argues that a targeted inspection system could help protect Ghanaian consumers from unsafe vehicles without imposing unnecessary financial burdens on legitimate importers and dealers.
General Secretary of the Union, Frank Kofigah Atanley, said the suspension of the proposed inspection regime should provide an opportunity for the GSA to engage industry stakeholders and develop a practical implementation framework before the policy resumes.
He stressed that the Union supports efforts to improve vehicle safety and quality standards but believes the implementation process must reflect the different risk levels associated with imported vehicles.
“We are not against this policy. We want this policy to be implemented,” Mr. Atanley said, adding that concerns previously submitted to the Standards Authority should be considered before the rollout.
Union advocates stricter scrutiny of damaged vehicles
At the centre of the Union’s proposal is a distinction between vehicles with clean titles and those classified as salvage or identified as having suffered significant accident damage.
Mr. Atanley believes vehicles in the latter categories should undergo closer examination to establish the extent of the damage and determine whether they satisfy Ghana’s prescribed safety requirements.
“If it is a salvage title, or a vehicle that is accidented, then that pre-inspection requirement sets in. What is the damage? What is the extent of the damage? Does it meet the standards that have been created for the country?” he asked.
The proposal seeks to focus inspection resources on vehicles considered to present greater safety risks rather than automatically subjecting every imported used vehicle to the same process.
However, the Union maintains that vehicles that fail to meet the required standards should not be allowed into the Ghanaian market.
Cost concerns threaten vehicle import businesses
Beyond the technical questions surrounding vehicle safety, the Union has raised concerns about the financial implications of conducting inspections outside Ghana before vehicles are shipped into the country.
According to Mr. Atanley, the proposed operational arrangements could significantly increase the cost of importing vehicles, potentially placing local dealers under severe financial pressure.
He said although industry players were consulted during the development of the standards, their involvement in determining how the policy would operate was inadequate.
“The operational costs that accompany this particular implementation meant that this was going to take us completely out of business,” he warned.
The Union is therefore calling for further consultations to establish transparent inspection procedures, clarify the associated costs and address operational challenges that could affect businesses within the vehicle importation and distribution sector.
Consumer protection remains a key concern
While advocating changes to the implementation framework, the Union has also highlighted concerns about the quality and safety of vehicles entering the Ghanaian market.
Mr. Atanley raised questions about what he described as the presence of substandard brand-new vehicles, with some consumers reportedly experiencing mechanical and safety problems shortly after purchasing them.
He argued that effective vehicle inspection and homologation procedures could help address such concerns.
Homologation involves verifying whether a vehicle type or model complies with applicable technical and regulatory requirements.
The Union believes that strengthening these processes would help ensure that vehicles imported into Ghana meet the necessary safety and quality standards, regardless of whether they are new or used.
GSA urged to use suspension period for consultations
The Union is asking the GSA and the Ministry of Trade to use the suspension period to resolve disagreements over implementation and establish a clear roadmap for the policy.
Mr. Atanley said consultations should identify the concerns of industry players, examine operational deficiencies and determine how the inspection system can achieve its objectives without unnecessarily disrupting legitimate trade.
“The postponement of the implementation should encourage a broader stakeholder engagement. What are the issues? What are the questions being asked? What are the operational deficiencies that we have identified?” he said.
He called for a balanced approach that places consumer safety at the forefront while taking into account the financial sustainability of businesses involved in vehicle importation and distribution.
“We want to see the implementation of this policy, but it should be implemented in the right way — that which will serve the Ghanaian people right,” he added.
The debate over the proposed inspection regime now centres on how Ghana can enforce stronger vehicle safety standards while ensuring that the procedures remain practical, affordable and effective for both consumers and businesses.
