As part of his stakeholder consultations, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia held a meeting with the leadership of the Vehicles and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana (VADUG) to understand the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
He said that the challenges discussed included high import duties and delays in port clearance, the intended introduction of pre-shipment inspection of cars (which we agreed should be abolished), access to credit from EXIM bank, and the enforcement of laws to protect the Ghanaian retailers from unfair competition from foreign retailers.
The discussions were fruitful and our respective teams will continue engagement to iron out specific policies to be introduced, he said.
"My thanks to the leadership of VADUG for making the time to participate in this engagement," he said.
Dr Bawumia also held a separate meeting with the leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
They discussed issues "that matter most to the Ghanaian worker", from the cost of living and delivering a living wage, to expanding youth jobs, enhancing pensions, and ensuring disability inclusion.
"We also explored a vital social contract between government and labor to build economic resilience against external shocks. We agreed to follow up on specifics in subsequent meetings.
"I am deeply grateful to the TUC leadership and constituent groups for an open dialogue that allows us to tap into their wealth of experience as we build a better future together," he said.