CVM calls on President to save Neoplan Ghana Limited
The Concern Voters Movement (CVM), a humanrights organization has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene to save Neoplan Ghana Limited from closing down.
A statement signed by Mr Razak Kojo Opoku, Founder and President of the CVM said, an internal memo from Neoplan (Ghana) Limited dated 15/01/2020 intercepted by CVM indicated that the Company would officially close down all its branches on January 31, 2020.
The statement said, the closure was largely due to the lack of support and Contracts from the Government, which was the majority shareholder as well as recurring monthly losses.
It said: “As a result of the closure, all employment contracts with Neoplan (Ghana) Limited will be terminated by 31st January 2020”.
The statement said President Akufo-Addo is constantly looking for employment opportunities for our young people and that Ghana’s biggest issue is jobs for young people and on this basis President Akufo-Addo had no choice, but to see to the revamping of Neoplan (Ghana) Limited.
It urged the President to intervene and save the company from collapsing, since his appointees at the Transport Ministry had failed to support the Company.
The statement said that Government had an obligation towards Ghanaians and could not continue to rely on the importation of Chinese, Korea and Indian buses at the detriment of Neoplan (Ghana) limited, that was a 55 per cent Government owned Company.
It said the administrations of former Presidents Professor John Evans Attah Mills and John Dramani Mahama never responded to the cries of Neoplan (Ghana) Limited and Akufo-Addo’s Government too has not made any meaningful efforts to revamp the Neoplan (Ghana) Limited.
This, the statement said was sad considering the fact that Government of Ghana had 55 per cent shares in the company and was the majority shareholder, with the remaining 45 per cent for a private company known as Fadoul Group.
Neoplan (Ghana) Limited has been in a existence since 1974.
Since its establishment, the Company had made history in producing over 4,000 buses for Government Institutions, Universities, Metro Mass Transit (MMT), GPRTU and Private Individuals/Companies.
In 2002, President Kufuor’s Government contracted Neoplan (Ghana) Limited to build 450 DAF/VDL buses for Metro Mass Transit, this contract ended in July 2010 and Neoplan (Ghana) Limited has since not gotten any contracts from successive Governments.
Source: GNA