The representative of the German government to Ghana Mr. Christoph Retzlaff has confirmed via a tweet, the decision by German automaker, Volkswagen to set up an assembly plant in Ghana.
The agreement was finalized at a German-Ghana Business Cooperation Summit in Accra on 30th August, 2018.
According to Mr. Retzlaff, an MOU was signed between Volkswagen and their Ghanaian partners in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Vice President of Ghana Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
An obviously excited ambassador tweeted “Great news for Ghana: German carmaker Volkswagen will start car assembling in Ghana. MoU signed today in Accra, witnessed by Chancellor Merkel and VP Bawumia.”
Great news for Ghana: German carmaker Volkswagen will start car assembling in Ghana. MoU signed today in Accra, witnessed by Chancellor Merkel and VP Bawumia. pic.twitter.com/1p6JKutHlN
— Christoph Retzlaff (@GermanAmbGhana) August 30, 2018
Volkswagen’s Presence in Africa
According to a release when the company opened their first factory in East Africa “Volkswagen is continuing to regionalize its worldwide automotive business. Shortly before Christmas it inaugurated an automotive production site in Kenya. The President of Kenya, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, and Brand CEO Herbert Diess were present when the first locally produced Polo Vivo rolled from the production line. With CKD production of the best-selling passenger car in the sub-Saharan region, Volkswagen is expanding its activities in Africa – a major step toward gaining new market opportunities by means of suitable products, local partners, and regional training.”
Based on this strategy, the company has opened production plants in Nigeria and recently Rwanda.
Volkswagen’s oldest plant is in South Africa. The plant was opened in 1951 in Uitenhage and currently produces 170,000 cars annually.
