Zonda Tec, Shantui Construction lauded for establishing centre for knowledge transfer
Ghana's Ambassador to China, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond has commended Zonda Tec Ghana Limited and Shantui Construction Machinery Co. Ltd for establishing a training centre to provide hands-on training for young people in Ghana in the area of Heavy-duty vehicle assembling and maintenance.
Dr Hammond was speaking at a ceremony in Tema on Monday, April 15, 2024 to inaugurate a partnership between the Zonda Tec Ghana Limited and Shantui Construction Machinery Co. Ltd, a Chinese construction equipment maker, to distribute Shantui range of machinery in Ghana.
The move was expected to make Shantui Construction Machinery Co. Ltd products and services available to key market players in Ghana.
The new partnership includes a service centre and a trucks-assembling unit for bulldozers, road rollers, loaders, and excavators as well as spare parts.
Dr Hammond lauded the partnership between Zonda Tec Ghana Limited and Shantui, both of which were subsidiaries of Shandong Heavy Industry in China, for investing in Ghana and supporting the economy through job creation, capacity building, technology and knowledge transfer.
He also applauded Zonda Tec Ghana Limited and Shantui for offering opportunities to young people in the country adding that such private sector intervention would lead to reduction of unemployment.
The Chief Executive of Zonda Tec Ghana Limited Ms Yang Yang said the partnership would ensure comprehensive vehicle sales and after-sales services to prospective and existing Shantui vehicle owners in Ghana.
Ms Yang said Zonda Tec Ghana Limited has already established an assembly plant and a training an automobile technical institute to train artisans and mechanics in industrial best practices in line with the government’s plan to transform local industries and with the coming on board of Shantui another opportunity have been offered to train more people through technology transfer.
He said with the presence of Shantui machinery in Ghana, the company has dispatched engineers from China to offer Ghanaian youth practical’s skills in the maintenance of bulldozers, motor graders, road rollers and other heavyduty vehicles stressing that this knowledge transfer would complement government efforts at not only creating jobs but also promote industralisation.
Reduce cost of import
The Executive Board Chairman of Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC), Isaac Ofori Poku said the presence of Shantui Construction Machinery Co. Ltd was positive news not only for the company but also the entire bauxite industry in the country.
He disclosed that the GBC has plans of getting the bauxites refined locally since it was the vision of the government to add value to the bauxite and the availability state-of-the-art machinery such as those from Shantui would go a long way to boost the productivity at the Ghana Bauxite Company.
He said by ordering for the machinery locally instead of importing them from outside, GBC for instance was going to cut down a lot of costs while increasing its margins and profits.
The Africa Regional Manager for Shantui, Eric Fann said with a presence in Ghana since 1993 and other major countries of the continent, Shantui products would play a significant role in the construction and mining sector by making their equipment easily accessible.
.Mr Fann said Shantui would provide a fully-fledged service centre in Ghana to provide a comprehensive vehicle sales and after-sales services to prospective Shantui machinery owners.
Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh