With the aim of supplying the local market with buses and improving the country’s urban rapid transport system, Swedish manufacturer of heavy duty trucks and buses, Scania, plans to expand its business to West Africa by launching in Ghana.

Established in 1891, Scania is known for producing heavy trucks, buses, engines, workshop parts, 24 hours road assistance and training of drivers among others. With about 1,500 workshops and 35,000 employees around the world, the company is already very active in East and South Africa.

“Although we are not very vibrant in West Africa, we hope to start working here starting with Ghana,” Scania’s Product Manager, Dr Anders Folkesson said.

Scania’s announcement came at the heel of Ghana’s President Mahama’s visit to the automobile company on improving the country’s public transport system.

Consequently, Executives of Scania will hold discussions with the management of Metro Mass Transport, Intercity STC and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on the provision of the buses to the companies.

Accra Mayor, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije said AMA is prepared to purchase 86 buses from Scania for the Accra-Amasaman corridor which would be operational next year.

“We are also developing three other corridors including Accra to Kasoa, Tema to Nungua and Accra to Adenta-Madina”, he added.

Folkesson said the company has the capability to furnish Ghana with buses appropriate for the country’s weather conditions.

Scania buses will be imported from Sweden as Scania has no assembly plant in the country, he explained.