The Secretary of the Second-Hand Car Dealers Association, Clifford Ansu, has stated that vehicle acquisition in Ghana has become nearly impossible for many citizens due to the high costs involved.
In an interview on Happy 98.9FM’s Happy Morning Show with Sefah-Danquah, Mr. Ansu revealed that the second-hand automobile sector has experienced a significant decline in sales. He explained that while many Ghanaians desire to purchase vehicles to improve mobility, the harsh economic conditions and financial constraints make such purchases unattainable.
“Many people in Ghana want to own cars; there is no one who would ignore the opportunity to have one. However, the financial burden is too heavy due to the current economic hardships,” he said.
Mr. Ansu identified high import taxes as a major reason for the soaring cost of second-hand vehicles.
“The duty fees alone, which must be paid when these cars are imported, are outrageous. On top of that, finding the funds to buy the vehicles themselves is another major challenge.”
He further highlighted the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar as a key struggle within the second-hand car industry, as the weak currency raises the cost of importing vehicles.
According to Mr. Ansu, repeated appeals to the government to reduce import taxes on second-hand cars have so far proven futile.
He called for an urgent intervention by the incoming John Mahama government to ease the financial burden on both dealers and prospective buyers.
