The Director-General of the State Interest and Governance Authority, Hon. Asamoah Boateng has said Neoplan Ghana can be profitable again.

Hon. Asamoah-Boateng who has been at the forefront of seeking avenues to recapitalise Neoplan since 2000 made the statement when he appeared as a guest on Garden City Radio in Kumasi. He said: “Under SIGA we have seen a lot of State Enterprises that had not made profits for a long-time posting profit and either paying dividends to the government or reinvesting the profit into their operation. I am optimistic that if Neoplan is absorbed into the 1D1F programme it will create jobs and make profits for the country.”

The Director-General of SIGA, later joined President Nana Akufo Addo and the Minister for Trade and Industry Hon. Alan Kyerematen on a working visit to Neoplan Ghana Limited’s manufacturing plant in Kumasi.

The visit to Neoplan Gh. Ltd forms part of the President’s tour to the Ashanti Region after Member of Parliament for Bantama and Minister of Works & Housing, Hon. Francis Asenso Boakye requested intervention by the government to save the company from imminent collapse.

Background

Neoplan (Ghana) Ltd was introduced to the country by the astute businessman, Henry Kojo Djaba in 1974, as a joint-venture company between the Government of Ghana and Gottlob Auwarter GmbH of Germany to produce buses for Ghana’s public transport fleet. It became the first bus manufacturing company in West Africa.

In 2001, the then government of former President J. A. Kufuor contracted Neoplan Ghana for eight years to build 450 buses for the Metro Mass Transit fleet.

After the NPP left power, the company never made any progress under the subsequent government. It is worthy to note that of the existing buses in active service now, those manufactured by Neoplan form two-thirds of the current fleet and are still durable.

The company however warned of a possible shutdown on Friday, January 31, 2020.

1D1F Promise

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, indicated that the NPP Government is working to capture Neoplan Ghana Limited under the One District One Factory initiative. A statement that was re-affirmed by the President.