The Vehicle and Asset Dealers Union of Ghana (VADUG) has expressed concern over a growing trend of fraudsters exploiting the vehicle dealership business to engage in auto theft and money laundering.
The Union says the situation is damaging the credibility and operations of legitimate vehicle dealers and is calling for urgent action.
Speaking to Citi Business News, General Secretary of VADUG, Frank Kofigah Atanley, stated that the Union is ready to collaborate fully with the government to tackle the menace.
“In every trade, there are unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of the system to engage in illicit activities,” he said. “As part of the standardization process we began two years ago, we are working towards finalizing measures to address these grey areas.”
He noted a worrying rise in auto theft incidents linked to the trade, citing instances where stolen vehicles were intercepted in countries like Zambia and Morocco.
“We have observed a spike in auto theft cases. In some instances, vehicles have been seized abroad after being identified as stolen. This trend must not continue,” Mr. Atanley added.
He emphasized VADUG’s readiness to partner with government agencies to weed out criminals exploiting the vehicle trade. “We will cooperate fully with the government to ensure those taking advantage of the industry are dealt with and that the loopholes are sealed completely,” he said.
As part of efforts to sanitize the industry, Mr. Atanley also revealed that VADUG has initiated a certification process to properly register and verify its members, aiming to distinguish legitimate dealers from fraudulent operators.
