Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party flagbearer, announced that the proposed pre‑shipment inspection regime for imported vehicles would be scrapped following a meeting with the leadership of the Vehicles and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana (VADUG). The policy, aimed at ensuring that used cars meet Ghana’s safety and technical standards before shipment, had raised concerns among industry players over its potential cost impact.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, 28 October, Bawumia noted that the inspection requirement was a key issue discussed and that both sides agreed it should be abolished. The meeting was part of his stakeholder consultations to identify challenges confronting the vehicle trade and to explore possible policy measures.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) had planned to introduce the pre‑shipment inspection under its Pre‑Export Verification of Conformity programme, which would require used vehicles to be inspected in their countries of origin before being shipped to Ghana. Fees were set between US$200 and US$300 per vehicle, depending on the country of origin. The GSA subsequently suspended implementation of the regime in October 2026, citing concerns, and said a new implementation date would be communicated.
Beyond the inspection policy, Bawumia said the discussions with VADUG also covered high import duties, delays in clearing vehicles at the ports, access to credit from the Ghana Export‑Import Bank (EXIM Bank), and calls for stronger enforcement of laws to protect Ghanaian retailers from unfair competition from foreign businesses.
"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," Bawumia said.
He described the discussions as fruitful and said representatives of both sides would continue engaging to develop specific policy proposals to address the concerns raised. The move is expected to ease the cost burden on vehicle importers and could streamline the clearance process at Ghana’s ports.
