Kwadwo Safo Addresses Ghanaians Who Complain Kantanka Cars Are Expensive: "How Much Is Engine?"
- Kwadwo Safo Kantanka has addressed criticism of Kantanka Automobile, specifically complaints about the price point and the business strategy of the company
- Addressing Ghanaians who complained that Kantanka cars were expensive, he said people often made a mistake by comparing its brand-new vehicles to used cars
- The company's CEO also addressed the continuous criticism of the brand logo by Ghanaians and explained the rationale behind the Kantanka Automobile emblem
- Mark Andy Tetteh, a car dealer and car enthusiast, in a chat with YEN.com.gh, highlighted why Ghanaians do not rate locally manufactured vehicles
- Another car dealer, Elliot Torgbor, shared that electrical faults in Kantanka cars can be very frustrating since the parts have to be shipped from abroad
- After his death, Media personality Ivy Prosper said his impact on Ghana is significant, especially through Tech
The CEO of Kantanka Automobile, Kwadwo Safo Kantanka Jnr, has addressed public criticism about the pricing of the company’s cars and its overall business strategy.
Source: Instagram
He explained that many Ghanaians compare the cost of new Kantanka vehicles to used imported cars, which he believed was an unfair comparison. According to him, most of the people who criticised the prices often cannot afford cars and expect to buy vehicles for as little as GH¢2,000 or GH¢5,000.
On the issue of affordability, he pointed out that the company has designed a smaller car priced at GH¢45,000. This vehicle, he said, was aimed at individuals looking for cars suitable for ride-hailing services and taxis. He emphasised that GH¢45,000 was a competitive price for a brand-new vehicle.
Kantanka also responded to criticism about the company’s logo, which features a star on a black background.
He explained that the star symbolised the ‘star of Africa,’ representing the company as a beacon of hope for African innovation. The black background he mentioned stood for the black race, explaining that the company was committed to having an African identity.
Car dealer explains why Ghanaians prefer foreign used cars
YEN.com.gh caught up with car dealer and automobile enthusiast Mark Andy Tetteh and he explained why Ghanaians often prefer used foreign vehicles to locally manufactured brand new vehicles. Listing some reasons, he said:
"The first thing is the lack of funds. Most Ghanaians cannot afford brand-new vehicles because they are mostly more costly than foreign ones, and rightly so. Another thing is ignorance. Most people compare foreign used cars to brand-new cars made here, expecting the local ones to be cheaper, which is not possible."
Kwadwo Safo's explanation sparks reactions
YEN.com.gh has gathered some reactions from social media users.
Nana Ahod3 said:
"He is being mischievous. Who in their right mind wants to buy a car for ghc5000 or 2000."
De Burna commented:
"Your brand new car can’t perform better than a 10yr old Toyota car."
Priscilla said:
"I don’t think the Kantanka cars are well advertised. I’ve never seen an advert on it."
Amuzu commented:
"I am most of the car parts are imported not manufactured in Ghana."
nanaaddo699 said:
"Masa kantanka small cars rate from 200k to 300k so why the guys won’t go for vitz."
Icy ❄️ Bourbon reacted:
"Most government workers have some sort of payment plan for cars. Find a nice proposal so the government gives you alone that benefit. It will go a long way to help the brand."
asabereakwasi said:
"You are entering a new market… you do not pay taxes and you want to charge the same as foreign cars."
Car dealer highlights challenges with Kantanka parts
In a brief chat with an auto dealer by YEN.com.gh, Elliot Torgbor shared reasons why Kantanka cars are not widely patronized in Ghana. He explained that he believes the cars are not truly made in Ghana but only assembled, and that Ghanaians are not informed about which brands supply the parts. He said:
"Kantanka doesn’t make cars; he just assembles them and puts a brand on them, like Alibaba. They are not willing to let us know which brand he is sourcing from, so we can’t easily get spare parts. He doesn’t make the engine or the gears, he buys them from China and South Korea and rebrands them. Even the molding of some of the cars isn’t made here."
He added:
"If you get an electrical fault, it’s between you and Jesus. But I will still patronize to support the business because I’m a Ghanaian. It wouldn’t be bad to have one as part of my future fleet because of the history attached to the car."
Ivy Prosper says late innovator inspires Ghanaians
Media personality Ivy Prosper said his impact on Ghana is unprecedented, especially through his tech prowess.
She noted that the Kantanka family should feel happy that someone like him used technology to create, and it should inspire young generation to believe they can do the same. She added that she isn’t sure the next generation is even aware of all he accomplished during his lifetime.
The seasoned media journalist said: "His impact on Ghana is significant, especially through his cars. He should have been celebrated more for what he achieved. But his family should feel proud that someone like him used technology to create, and it should inspire young Ghanaians to know they can do the same. I’m not sure the next generation is even aware of all he did during his lifetime.”
Vehicle with Kantanka logo goes viral
Kantanka vehicles have become recognised in Ghanaian society, and it seems some individuals have taken inspiration too.
YEN.com.gh recently spotted a video of a locally manufactured vehicle with a Kantanka logo on it, and the video went viral.
Ghanaians who saw the vehicle were amazed that people in Ghana could make cars out of scrap materials on a small budget.
Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh
Source: YEN.com.gh
