Stellantis Expands Circular Economy Operations to Africa with New Vehicle Dismantling Center in Morocco

Stellantis has strengthened its Circular Economy footprint in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) with the launch of a new vehicle dismantling center in Casablanca, Morocco the company’s first such facility in the region.

The Casablanca site becomes Stellantis’ third vehicle dismantling center worldwide, following existing facilities in Turin (Italy) and São Paulo(Brazil). The new center is expected to serve Morocco and Sub-Saharan West Africa while acting as a regional hub for Circular Economy activities across the MEA region.

The facility was established under SUSTAINera, Stellantis’ dedicated Circular Economy business unit focused on remanufacturing, repair, reuse, and recycling solutions aimed at extending vehicle lifespan, reducing waste, and optimizing resources across the automotive value chain.

Speaking on the development, Samir Cherfan Chief Operating Officer Middle East & Africa and Global Head of Micromobility, Stellantis, said Circular Economy remains a strategic priority for the company in the region.

“Circular Economy is a strategic priority for Stellantis in the Middle East and Africa. It enables us to combine industrial performance, affordability for customers and the responsible use of resources, while securing our long-term industrial footprint across the region,” he stated.

The Casablanca dismantling center is designed to support the sourcing and dismantling of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), the sale of reusable original parts, and the recovery of materials for recycling. Stellantis says the facility will help structure a compliant and scalable ELV ecosystem in Morocco while improving the availability of affordable automotive parts across its aftersales network and digital platforms.

According to the company, the project will provide several benefits including more affordable parts and services through reuse and remanufacturing, optimized resource recovery, and a more structured and traceable automotive recycling ecosystem aligned with regional compliance standards.

Jean Christophe Bertrand SVP Stellantis Middle East & Africa Parts & Services, emphasized that the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to sustainable industrial practices.

“Circular Economy is a concrete way to deliver value to customers by extending the lifespan of vehicles and parts while optimizing resources. With SUSTAINera, we are industrializing a strategy based on the principles of the 4Rs remanufacturing, repair, reuse and recycling designed to be scalable, efficient and accessible, without compromising on quality,” he said.

The company disclosed that Circular Economy activities are already being implemented across the MEA region through the sale of remanufactured parts, used original parts via the B-Parts platform, as well as recycling and ELV partnerships. These services are distributed through Stellantis’ after sales network, partner repairers, and Distrigo hubs.

Stellantis also revealed that the Casablanca facility will handle selected reusable product families, including traction batteries, through rigorous dismantling operations.

The project represents an investment of €1.6 million and spans a 6,000 square meter site. At full capacity, the center is expected to dismantle up to 10,000 vehicles annually while creating approximately 150 direct and indirect jobs.

Vehicles processed at the facility will be sourced from insurance companies, auctions, and ELV channels.

With the launch of the Casablanca dismantling center, Stellantis says it is reinforcing its commitment to building an industrial, scalable, and economically sustainable Circular Economy ecosystem across the Middle East and Africa.

The Womanhood Supports A Girl With A Pad to Mark Menstrual Hygiene Day

 

The Womanhood has educated the pupils of Sky Educational Institute in Ashiaman Washington Kpone Katamanso Constituency, on How to control their sexual urges as an adolencen t, keep good Menstrual hygiene and given out pads to the girls to mark this year’s Menstrual Hygiene day celebrated on 28th May of every year. With the theme; making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030. Addressing the pupils, The Founder of The Womanhood, Ms. Georgina Ama Otoo said, the event was organized to speak and work to break the silence around periods,tackle stigma often associated with them and taboos, raise awareness of the importance of good menstrual hygiene to these girls to prevent infections. She said, the goal is to build a world where no one is held back because they menstruate by the year 2030. She lamented that, no girl should be absent because she is menstruating and encouraged teachers and pupils especially boys to help when the need arises and not make fun of girls. The event which bought together volunteers from the medical , media , education, clergy and corporate world to share their experiences and advices. The Womanhood is an NGO that focuses on human rights and the general issues affecting woman’s health, children, the vulnerable and the socially excluded individuals, with it main objectives targeted at helping black women rediscover their self esteem within the present day business and political dispensation. ReplyForward

AAAM hosts Vehicle Component Suppliers in Ghana

From left to right are; Kezia Kuleape - GIADEC (Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation), Karen Asafu-Adjaye - GIADEC (Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation), Gino Singh - Supreme Spring

,Patrick Nimo - MOTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry), Dave Coffey - AAAM, HE Minister Kyerematen - MOTI , Victoria Backhaus-Jerling - VDA AAAM, Clayton Wait - Maxe, Ryan Ramsoonder - Maxe, Eugene Sangmortey - VDA AAAM, Stoney Steenkamp - Hudson Rubber, Alex Kyei - MOTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry)

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) hosted an exploratory visit by automotive component manufacturers to Ghana in the first week of March. 

The objective was to introduce potential investors to the Ghanaian automotive market. The initial visit was focused on aftermarket opportunities, which in time will also support OE assembly as the volumes grow, as currently almost all components are imported.

Executives from Maxe (a division of KAP Automotive), Supreme Springs (a

division of Metair) and Hudson Rubber were involved in a week of back to back engagements with OEM assemblers, local manufacturers, vehicle dealers,and spare parts importers as well as the Ghana Standards Authority, the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

A particularly important aspect of the Ghana Automotive Development Policy is to develop auto component manufacturing with local partners. In a positive meeting with Minister Kyerematen on the last day of the visit, the Minister emphasized the significance of this initiative and the government's willingness to engage on competitive fiscal incentives for those component manufacturers wanting to invest in Ghana.

“This is the first of many visits planned by the AAAM office in Accra in support of developing the automotive industry in Ghana”, said David Coffey the CEO of AAAM. “It was most encouraging to witness the positive interaction between potential investors, local companies and the willing support offered by the Ghanaian authorities”, concluded Coffey.

The Hon. Alan Kyerematen indicated that the takeoff of the Component Manufacturing industry within the Automotive Sector would provide a strategic guideline for the development of the steel, aluminum, and rubber industry in the country.

AAAM and the German Cooperation partner to develop an Ethiopian Automotive Industry Development Policy and a Center of Excellence Pilot Programme

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) has been appointed by the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation to develop an Automotive policy for the Ethiopian government that will encourage global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and component manufacturers to invest in Ethiopia. In addition, an automotive training programme for existing assemblers and workshop owners will be developed and piloted along with the development of a foundational concept note for the creation of a Centre of Excellence to train local people for the highly skilled jobs that the industry will need.

The automotive industry can have a substantial contribution to the growth of the Ethiopian economy if there is a conducive policy framework in place that encourages global automotive companies to invest in Ethiopia and establish manufacturing operations. 

A stable automotive policy, with the right incentives in place, can position Ethiopia as a regional hub for vehicle component manufacturing and assembly. This sector would employ substantial numbers of highly skilled people and could also spur growth in allied industries such as the iron and steel industry. 

Investments by global OEMs through partnerships and regional supply chains, could make Ethiopia a regional and even continental player in both component and vehicle manufacturing.

The Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)and implemented among others by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The objective of the Special Initiative, which also operates under the brand Invest for Jobs, is to create jobs and apprenticeships and to improve working conditions in its partner countries. 

To accomplish this, Invest for Jobs supports and promotes investments that have a high impact on employment in the partner countries. It works to pave the way and remove investment barriers such as local shortage of skilled labor, insufficient performance of the local supply industry and promotion of small and medium sized companies. In addition, it offers comprehensive advice, contacts and financial support to overcome investment barriers.

The first task of the policy project will be to conduct a comprehensive local and international automotive sector analysis. This will be followed by the development of an Automotive Policy framework for consideration by the Ethiopian authorities and then after joint consultation, implement the Automotive Policy with the aim of attracting global automotive investors from the component and vehicle manufacturing sectors.

Concurrently a pilot automotive skills development eco system which adheres to international standards is to be developed, which will ultimately lead to the establishment of the Center of Excellence.

• The strategic objectives of developing an Ethiopian Automotive Policy and center of Excellence are:

• To establish a fully integrated and competitive industrial hub for component and vehicle manufacturing in partnership with the private sector.

• To generate highly skilled jobs in both the vehicle assembly and component manufacturing sector with a spill over into other sectors of the economy.

• To establish an asset-based vehicle finance scheme for locally manufactured vehicles to ensure affordability for local buyers.

• To improve balance of payments through competitive import substitution and export market development.

• To improve vehicle safety and environmental standards whilst transforming the quality of the vehicles in the car park thereby safeguarding the natural environment.

“Being awarded this contract by the GIZ is an important milestone for AAAM in the development of the automotive industry in Africa and reflects that our collaborative efforts across the continent to facilitate sustainable automotive industrialisation is gaining traction” said David Coffey the CEO of AAAM.

“Ethiopia is an important assembly hub in the East of Africa region. With a population in excess of 100m and a very low motorisation rate of 2 vehicles per 1000 inhabitants the potential of Ethiopia is significant with the right ecosystem in place; the integration of Ethiopia into the regional and ultimately continental single market will provide scale that will facilitate competitiveness. 

Our aim is to unlock the economic potential of the African continent by promoting a policy environment that is conducive to the industrialisation and growth of the automotive sector and that attracts investments by both OEMs and component manufacturers which in turn creates highly skilled jobs and affordable mobility for consumers” concluded Mr Coffey.

Having the Automotive Development Program in place complements the Invest for Jobs program interventions around promoting private sector investment in the various sectors regarded as strategic by the Ethiopian government. 

Furthermore, addressing the skills gaps through the development of specialised training programs such as mechatronics will alleviate the problems experienced by the industry players in finding trained labour force in the sector.

The project which has clearly defined milestones and deliverables will run from March 2021 through to the end of October 2021.

National Identification Authority Co-locates with Ghana Revenue Authority towards Tax Identification Number replacement with Ghana Card Number

It is announced by a released signed by Mr. Abudu Abdul-Ganiyu Head, Corporate Affairs for the information of the general public that, from Today 1st April 2021, the National Identification Authority (NIA) will operate 14 Registration Offices at the premises of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) across the country.

In line with the Government policy to replace the Tax Identification Number (TIN) with the Personal Identification Number (PIN) on the Ghana Card, this co-location strategy with the GRA will afford Ghanaians aged 15 years and above who have not yet registered for the Ghana Card the opportunity to do so.

Ghanaians who have already registered for the Ghana Card are NOT to present themselves at any of these offices for re-registration as doing so would amount to a criminal offense, and such offenders shall be liable for prosecution. 

The NIA assures registered Ghanaians yet to receive their cards that the cards will be issued to them at the NIA offices in their Regional and District Capitals when the permanent offices are established effective 1st June 2021.

Other services to be rendered by the permanent NIA Regional and District offices include:

i. Continuous registration of all citizens from age zero to infinity free of charge;

ii. Registration of all foreigners legally and permanently resident in Ghana

at a fee;

iii. Replacement of lost or damaged cards at a fee; and

iv. Updating of personal records or data in the National Identification Register (NIR).

Members of the general public are entreated to cooperate with both officers of the NIA and GRA to ensure successful operations at all the 14 offices within the GRA premises.

Oman Ghana Baako (OGB) paid a Courtesy call on the Chiefs and people of Sefwi- Akontombra and Sefwi -Adjoafoah in Sefwi-Wiawso.

On Wednesday 24th March 2021, OMAN GHANA BAAKO (OGB) paid a courtesy call on the Chiefs and people of Akontombra and Adjoafoah in Sefwi- Wiawso of the Western North Region of Ghana to help with implementation of OGB’s sustainable development program, consisting of community projects that will enhance the economy and social status of people in the area.

Mr.Joe Laryea -Country Head, USA and Global Head of IT said OGB started from the United Kingdom. “We want to bring all Ghanaians together to achieve a common goal, We left Ghana to search for greener pastures; we have worked and lived among westerners; we have learned a lot and realized we could do a lot at home”.

“We came together and realized that we have acquired skills and knowledge that we can bring back to our country to help with development, so we want to bring Ghanaians abroad and those at home together to help our country, We also discovered that our reasons for leaving Ghana persist and If we do not bring support back home, generations will suffer”. 

He said, OGB stands for building our nation and that we can achieve this together as one people with common goals, dealing with other countries on equal terms.

He revealed that OGB has introduced The ‘One Ghana project’ where each Ghanaian worldwide will pay an amount of one unit of local currency every month: in US one dollar; in UK one pound; in Europe one Euro etc.

 He said the rationale for this initiative is that about 5 million Ghanaians live outside the country and about 30 million at home, so if a significant fraction of Ghanaians donates even these small amounts, particularly expatriates, millions may be raised monthly. 

The funds will be used for developmental projects. “This is a great idea that will help youth and generations to come, creating jobs and enabling OGB to provide basic amenities”.

 

Mr. Emmanuel Nsiaba Kobi Global Head of Communication  said, OGB would start with agriculture to create jobs and employment for youth, reducing emigration to other countries. 

About 40% of Ghana’s population lives in rural communities; youth unemployment and under-employment is more than double rates for the whole workforce, Ghana’s agricultural land is an under-utilised resource, due to historical patterns of ownership and technologies. 

Improved agricultural production is needed to improve food security for a rapidly growing population. 

Surplus food production can provide food security in the broader region while earning export income for Ghana.

As employment is created, in both rural and urban areas, economic demand will support increased investment and production. 

OGB will work with government and other organisations to plan necessary infrastructure, supporting Ghanaian enterprise.

He said there are many projects OGB will be embarking on: health clinics, libraries, and many more public amenities.

Mr. Emmanuel Nsiaba Kobi concluded by saying, "OGB is here to make a change, a difference where we can help ourselves and build the nation”.

The Chief of Sefwi Akontombra Nana Kwabena Ebie II said, he was excited and grateful to OGB for their laudable ideas. 

He said, he will assist OGB, with all his capacity, to achieve their goals, "we will give land for the farming project and a place of office".

Mr. Christian Oware  Head of Operation OGB Ghana said, "OGB believes each and everyone has a unique talent within them that needs to come out”. OGB is here to build a foundation of support for everyone to bring out their best. He said it is not about what you will get at the end of the day but what we all can do for our country.

We believe together we can build a better Ghana for ourselves and our children.

He implores all to register with OGB to make a change.

OMAN GHANA BAAKO (OGB) is a registered Non-Governmental and Non-Religious social institution established to help develop Ghana and its people.

We desire to work with all types of organisation (Government and non-government) in implementing sustainable development projects that will enhance the economy and social status of its people.

OGB is registered in the United Kingdom with the Companies House, and in Ghana with the Registrar General's Department and the Department of Social Welfare. 

OGB is also registered as a non-profit in the United State of America. A constitution bounds OGB: [link to constitution].

To register(Oman Ghana Baako) go to ; 

https://www.omanghanabaako1.org/  

Isuzu Motors South Africa Innovate New Export Programme

Isuzu Motors South Africa in Port Elizabeth has started supplying knocked down (KD) Isuzu D-MAX pick-up kits for assembly purposes to its Isuzu manufacturing facility in Kenya.

 This represents the first intra-continental regional trade exchange of its kind for Isuzu on the continent and is aligned to its strategy for its South African vehicle assembly plant to serve as a hub for growing its overall volumes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Isuzu Motors Limited, majority shareholder of Isuzu East Africa, regards the opportunities in Africa, based on infrastructural investment, to be significant.

 The East African operation previously focussed only on truck and bus assembly operations while fully importing light commercial vehicles from South Africa.

Isuzu is a leading brand in the East African markets, with a commanding 44.5%  share of the Kenyan new vehicle market in 2019.

Isuzu Motors South Africa CEO and Managing Director Michael Sacke said Isuzu's market strength in East Africa can be contributed to the vehicles' overall performance, reliability and customer satisfaction.

"We have put this project together in record time and anticipate that it will result in a win-win for both South Africa and Kenya.

 Some of the vehicle kits have already arrived in Kenya and the Kenyan team received comprehensive training in Port Elizabeth late last year in preparation for actual operations," said Sacke.

The vehicle kits which are exported from the Port of Ngqura provides additional volume at the port while ensuring job retention at the South African plant.

While volumes have been projected at 1300 vehicles per year to Kenya through this KD programme, it is expected that this will further increase in the medium- to long-term.

"The Kenya KD project is an important step in achieving our growth strategy which is geared at strengthening our presence in key Sub-Saharan Africa markets through a combination of tactical SKD initiatives as well as various initiatives to strengthen our dealer distribution network," emphasised Sacke.

Rita Kavashe, Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa, welcomed the decision to import KD kits. She said the KD programme gives the Kenyan operation more flexibility and an opportunity to remain competitive.

 "Our import tariffs are lower on the KD kits, we create employment and we positively influence employee and customer morale by assembling the Isuzu D-MAX locally."

Isuzu Motors South Africa has a network of 79 dealers in South Africa and 33 in Sub-Saharan Africa.