The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned the 2nd phase of the Zonda Sinotruk Assembly Plant, providing the plant with a capacity to produce over three thousand (3,000) heavy and light-duty vehicles annually.
These vehicles encompass an impressive range of machinery, including tipper trucks, wheel loaders, backhoes, trailers, semi-trailers, oil tankers, and a variety of light-duty vehicles. The products are assembled from SKD (Semi-Knocked Down) kits, ensuring adherence to international standards and quality.
The commissioning of the 2nd phase is set to increase the company’s direct workforce to about 700, from the current workforce of 356 direct workers. The company also supports over 1000 indirect workers through its value chain.
The President equally cut the sod for the phase three of the project, located at the Golf City in Tema, which is expected to be completed in November 2024. The completion of this phase will see the company venture into component manufacturing to support the country’s emerging and robust automotive industry, and cut down on the importation of these parts and accessories, with its impact on the foreign exchange volatilities.
With the ever-growing demand for heavy duty trucks arising from growth in the transport, construction, mining and other related sectors, Zonda Tec has positioned itself to become a leading assembler and supplier of trucks. In addition, Zonda Tec is supporting artisans with technology transfer and building of their capacities to assemble high quality trucks for both the domestic and foreign markets.
The President underscored the fact that, the expertise of Zonda Tec Ghana Limited, the reputation of its durable trucks, market know-how and timely delivery of services to meet the requirement of its customers has positioned the company as a major competitor in the transport and construction sectors of the economy.
According to the President, the additional investment in the project is indicative of the company’s commitment to the Ghanaian automotive industry and its determination to be a leader in the region. He observed that the commissioning and sod cutting, especially at these challenging economic times, underscores the confidence that the private sector has in the ongoing efforts by his government to turn the economic fortunes of the nation around.
The President noted that the commissioning of the factory is a testament of the fact that the Government’s 1D1F Programme is on course and that Government is committed to build an inclusive development focusing on the rural economy through partnership with the private sector to establish enterprises in all districts of the country.
The 1D1F is one of the main components of Government’s Ten Point Industrialization Plan. It is seen as the key to the structural transformation of Ghana – moving Ghana from an agrarian economy to an industrialized economy. The programme seeks to create massive employment opportunities particularly for the youth in rural and peri-urban communities, reduce poverty, rural-urban migration and decongest our cities. It also aims at decentralizing industrial development by adding value to the natural resource endowments of each district, promote import substitution and thereby conserve scarce foreign exchange.
There are currently 0ver 296 projects under the programme at various stages of implementation. So far, 126 of them are in operation.
