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Stuff from Johannesburg

AAAM Appoints Jeffrey Oppong Peprah as Vice President for West Africa

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) has appointed the President of the Automotive Assemblers Association of Ghana (AAAG), Jeffrey Oppong Peprah as Vice President representing West Africa. This is in addition to the Vice Presidents representing North and Southern Africa as well as a Vice President for the Component Chapter. The President of AAAM is Mike Whitfield who is also the Managing Director of Nissan Africa.

Jeffrey Oppong Peprah currently the CEO of Volkswagen Ghana has Entrepreneurship and Strategic Leadership competencies, with experience in the automotive industry, supply chain management & logistics, as well as sales and business development. He has an excellent understanding of the market dynamics of Sub-West Africa, as well as Product Engineering skills.

Commenting on his appointment Jeffrey said. “I am passionate about the pace of growth of Sub-Saharan Africa and although there are uncertainties, these mean that there are also lots of opportunities for rapid expansion of the automotive industry as the continent urbanises and a vibrant economy develops” asked what his vison for the Auto industry in Africa is, he responded “Stimulating the growth of the automotive industry sector in the Sub-Saharan Africa and paving the way for mobility for all in Africa”

David Coffey the CEO of AAAM said “I have worked closely with Jeffrey over the past two years and have experienced his absolute belief in and commitment to developing an automotive industry and ecosystem in Ghana and West Africa.

We welcome Jeffrey into the position of AAAM Vice President West Africa and look forward to continued collaboration to realise our vision for West Africa and the continent”

At the recent AGM of AAAM the current office bearers who were all eligible for re-election based on the constitution were unanimously re-elected to their positions for a further two years. They are: –

Mike Whitfield, as President of AAAM who is also the Managing Director Nissan Africa

Andrew Kirby, as AAAM Vice President Southern Africa who is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Toyota South Africa Motors

Dr Markus Thill, as AAAM Vice President – Component Chapter who is also the President Region Africa, Robert Bosch

Dr Ahmed Fikry, as AAAM Vice President North Africa who is also the Managing Director for East Port Said for Main Development Co. (EP) and Managing Director for Egyptian German Automotive Co. (EGA)

AAAM focusses on the expansion and deepening of the automotive industry across Africa by working with governments to shape policies and provide support that will attract investors, unlock the economic potential of the continent and align a global network of stakeholders committed to the development of the automotive industry in Africa.

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Ponte City: Transformation

As the “white flight” of the 1980s and 90s drained the inner city of capital, Ponte City underwent a dramatic and terrifying transformation. By the late 1990s, the building had become a “vertical slum” and a symbol of urban decay. It was famously “hijacked” by gangs; the retail levels were stripped, and the building became a fortress for drug dealing and human trafficking. The most haunting image from this era was the central core. Originally designed to be a light-filled courtyard, it became a literal trash heap. Residents on the upper floors would throw their refuse into the center of the building rather than taking it down. At its worst point, the trash in the core reached five stories high—a mountain of rotting debris, discarded furniture, and even, legend has it, the remains of those who had fallen or jumped.

During this period, the reputation of Ponte was so toxic that there was a serious proposal in 1998 to turn the entire skyscraper into a vertical prison. The plan was eventually scrapped, but the building remained a “no-go zone” for nearly a decade. The turnaround began in the mid-2000s when developers New Metro Property Group and later Dlala Nje began a massive, painstaking refurbishment. They cleared out the tons of trash from the core, restored the lifts (which had often been out of order, forcing residents to climb 50 flights of stairs), and implemented strict security protocols.