Ghana bamboo bike makers to produce electric models

Makers of bamboo bikes in Ghana are planning to produce electric models of the bamboo bicycles as its markets abroad expand.

According to the Ghana Bamboo Bikes, it is scaling up production and introducing other innovative bamboo bikes.

“We are looking at scaling up our production and introducing other innovative bamboo bikes: electric bamboo bicycles, electric bamboo bike ambulances, and bamboo bike pedicabs,” its Executive Director Bernice Dapaah told New Yoork-based Policy Innovation magazine in an interview.

The company also hopes to enter into a corporate partnership with specialty bike chains, galleries, museums, and other fair trade stores, which it believes will them expand the market for their products.

“These opportunities for trade and marketing will also help address the issue of income generation for rural dwellers and talented artisans who help in the manufacture of these products,” said Ms Dapaah who is responsible for the marketing of the bamboo bikes.

The bamboo bikes are sold in United States, Japan, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, Turkey, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Nigeria, and Belgium, and they are mainly purchased by individuals for personal use.

Ms Dapaah indicated that they sell their bikes both through direct marketing and by identifying independent bicycle distributors who subsequently distribute the bikes on our behalf.

By Ekow Quandzie