The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has announced that all used motor vehicles destined for Ghana must undergo mandatory pre-shipment inspection by approved international inspection agents before export to the country under its FlexiPass Programme.
In a public notice, the Authority stated that the requirement forms part of the implementation of the Pre-Shipment Verification of Conformity (PVoC) under GS 4510, aimed at ensuring that imported used vehicles meet Ghana’s safety and quality standards before shipment.
According to the GSA, only inspection results and certificates issued by approved inspection bodies will be recognised under the programme.
The Authority has approved two ISO/IEC 17020 accredited inspection agencies, Autoterminal Japan (ATJ) and EAA Company Limited (EAA), to conduct inspections of used vehicles intended for the Ghanaian market.
The two agencies operate a combined network of more than 100 inspection centres across 15 countries spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, covering major vehicle export markets.
The GSA explained that the programme is intended to strengthen quality assurance in vehicle imports by ensuring that non-conforming vehicles are identified before shipment, thereby protecting importers and consumers from incurring freight and duty costs on vehicles that fail to meet established standards.
It noted that both inspection agencies are accredited under ISO/IEC 17020, the international standard governing inspection bodies, which requires demonstrated technical competence, impartiality and independence.
Under the inspection process, vehicle importers or exporters are required to select an approved inspection agency, submit a pre-shipment inspection request together with vehicle and export documentation, and present the vehicle for inspection at an approved centre or through a mobile inspection service where available.
Vehicles that satisfy the requirements of GS 4510 will be issued with a FlexiPass inspection certificate and may proceed for shipment to Ghana, while non-compliant vehicles will not receive certification and will not be permitted for export to the country.
The GSA indicated that inspection fees vary according to the country of origin of the vehicle and remain at or below standard global PVoC rates.
Under the fee structure, vehicles originating from Japan attract a fee of US$200, while those from Korea, Singapore and other Asian countries are charged US$250. Vehicles imported from the United Kingdom, European countries, the United States and other parts of North and South America attract inspection fees of US$300, while vehicles from African countries are subject to a fee of US$250.
The Authority also highlighted the extensive inspection network available to vehicle exporters, with inspection centres located in countries including Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, India, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, the United States, Canada, Mexico and South Africa.
The GSA said the move forms part of efforts to ensure that imported used vehicles entering the Ghanaian market comply with national standards, improve consumer protection and enhance road safety.
The Authority urged vehicle importers, dealers, manufacturers, distributors, shipping and clearing agents, and other stakeholders in the automotive industry to familiarise themselves with the requirements of the FlexiPass Programme and comply fully with the inspection regime before shipping vehicles to Ghana.