International Newsmaker Q&A Samuel Kwasi Sackey

Jan. 11, 2017
Samuel Kwasi Sackey is vice president of ECL, which provides vehicle testing services for Ghana’s government-mandated inspection program that was established in 2014.

Samuel Kwasi Sackey is vice president of ECL, which provides vehicle testing services for Ghana’s government-mandated inspection program that was established in 2014.

Constructed by BM Autoteknik A/S of Denmark, “ECL is one of the most technologically advanced state-of-the-art vehicle testing and inspection facilities in Ghana,” he reports.

“We are the industry leaders and promoters of vehicular safety and road-worthiness in Africa,” says Sackey, providing additional details in response to questions posed by Aftermarket Business World:

Q: What does Ghana’s vehicle testing program entail?

A: The vehicle testing and inspection program in Ghana is handled by a section of government called the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). The authority is responsible for, among other things, overseeing and authorizing vehicle testing and private testing stations. There are currently 11 Private Vehicle Testing Stations (PVTS) in Ghana, with six private testing stations located in the capital Accra, one in the Eastern region of Ghana and the rest across Ghana.

Q: Are vehicle tests mandated by the government?

A: Vehicle testing is mandatory under the laws of Ghana for regular inspection.

Q: How often are the tests required?

A: Vehicles are categorized as commercial or private. Commercial vehicles are to come for a roadworthy inspection after every six months, making it twice a year. Private vehicles are to be inspected once a year.

Q: What happens if a vehicle fails the test?

A: When a vehicle fails a test a report is given to that effect and it is required that the vehicle with the defect is to be fixed and then come back for a retest within 14 working days, in which the retest would be done at no cost. After 14 working days if the vehicle does not return for a retest the vehicle owner would have to pay the whole amount again for inspection.

Q: How much does the vehicle test cost? Can most drivers in Ghana afford them?

A: The cost of testing of vehicles depends on the cubic capacity of the vehicle, and most drivers in Ghana can afford the cost of testing of their vehicles.

Q: Does the vehicle testing program result in more sales of spare parts for repairs?

A: To some extent the testing of vehicles does result in the sale of spare parts, most often headlamps, brake lights, wipers, spare parts on brakes, tires, etc.

Q: How easy is it for drivers and shops to obtain spare parts in Ghana? Are there enough parts distributors to meet the drivers’ needs?

A: It is quite easy to obtain spare parts for most vehicles in Ghana due to the vast spare parts distributors and retailers.

Q: How are most of the parts provided? Do they come from manufacturers and dealerships?

A: Most parts are provided by private businesses and most spare parts are second-hand spare parts, or what Ghanaians call “home use.” Most Ghanaians prefer second-hand spare parts since it is cheaper and is seen as more reliable than brand new ones that are mostly replicas of the original spare parts and hard to detect.

Q: Kantanka is the only domestic Ghanaian automaker producing vehicles in Ghana; how well do these vehicles perform at your testing facility? Are they reliable?

Currently, ECL is the only testing facility that tests Kantanka vehicles after they have been manufactured, and so far all have performed very well. There are not enough Kantanka vehicles that have ploughed the road for a long enough time for us to test to determine its reliability. From all the Kantanka vehicles that have visited our facility and been tested, I would say they are reliable vehicles.

Q: What are the capabilities of your vehicle testing facility?

A: At ECL we have 14 testing lanes, which include two motorcycle lanes, six light vehicle lanes, three heavy-duty lanes and three calibration lanes. This makes us the biggest vehicle testing facility in Africa.

Q: What are some of the tests that you provide?

At ECL we perform:

  • Emission test/Combined Gas Analyzer test
  • Speed testing/Tachometer testing
  • Headlight testing
  • Side Slip test
  • Suspension testing
  • Wheel Play test
  • Brake test

Q: You offer headlight aiming; what are some of the other services that you offer?

A: At ECL we provide services including:

  • Roadworthy Renewal
  • First Registration test for used imported vehicles
  • Bulk Road Vehicle (BRV) Test for petroleum tankers
  • Underground storage tank cleaning
  • Tank Calibration
  • Load-worthy Inspection for dry goods vehicles and trailers
  • Vehicle Audit, where inspection of the vehicle is more detailed and comprehensive

Q: Do you also repair vehicles?

A: We do not repair vehicles; we only test and inform clients of defects on their vehicles to be fixed.

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