Former Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, has been recognised for his pioneering role in laying the foundation for Ghana’s automobile industry. 

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM), in partnership with the Automobile Assemblers Association of Ghana (AAAG), conferred the honour during a special awards ceremony held to celebrate milestones in the country’s burgeoning auto sector.

Kyerematen’s Political Assistant, Nana Yaw Sarpong, received the award on his behalf. In a speech delivered by Mr Sarpong, the former minister expressed his profound appreciation to the organisers and dedicated the award to his former colleagues and allied institutions who worked with him to bring the Ghana Automotive Development Policy to life.

“I wish first to express my profound gratitude to the organisers of this event, AAAG, for this prestigious award. I share this honour with my former colleagues from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other allied agencies,” Kyerematen stated.

He also acknowledged the instrumental role of several key international partners in the policy’s success, including Thomas Schaefer of Volkswagen, Michael Whitfield of Nissan, Alec Erwin, David Coffey, and Joggie Mentz of the AAAM. On the local front, he praised Subhi Accad for his support during the early stages of the initiative.

“There are many others who, for lack of time, I cannot formally acknowledge. I extend my sincere appreciation to all of them,” he added.

Kyerematen recalled the initial doubts that surrounded his ambition to establish Ghana as a competitive player in the automotive manufacturing space. “When I started this journey, there were many who gave me no chance of succeeding and predicted failure. But I was inspired by the challenge of success rather than being haunted by failure,” he remarked.

The former minister emphasised his belief that countries with thriving automotive sectors often enjoy stronger economies. This conviction, he said, guided his strategic push to make Ghana a hub for vehicle assembly and component production in West Africa.

That vision, Kyerematen said, is now materialising, with international brands like Volkswagen and Nissan setting up local assembly plants, alongside indigenous players such as Kantanka Automobile gaining renewed momentum.

“We have just begun, and as the Americans would say, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’ The sky is the limit!” his message concluded.