GhanaWeb Factcheck: Ghana Ambulance Service description of Dubai car company as manufacturer inaccurate

Claim: The Ghana Ambulance Service said that the Dubai company post and video about some Ghanaian branded ambulances were at the premises of the manufacturing company.

Verdict: Inaccurate

Explanation:

The Ghana Ambulance Service had cause to react to news of allegations surrounding some ambulances spotted in Dubai.

In its statement of Monday, May 29, 2023, the Service denied allegations that some of its vehicles are being sold in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), after a video of one of its vehicles in the country went viral.

It added that the GNAS-branded vehicle, which was captured in the viral video, is part of 26 new vehicles being procured by the government through a World Bank facility.

In the statement, the Ambulance Service also claimed that the video of the Ghana-branded vehicle was shot at the premises of the company manufacturing the vehicles.

"The ambulance in question is one of the 26 Toyota Hiace Ambulances being procured by the Government, through the Ministry of Health and being funded by the World Bank.

“The said ambulance is found on the premises of the Company, which is manufacturing the ambulances. It is therefore not true that the ambulance is there for sale,” parts of the statement said.

The denial by the Ghana Ambulance Service has, however, been contested by Stan Dogbe, an aide to John Dramani Mahama and a former presidential staffer.






Verification:

In a Facebook post to contest these details as provided by the Ghana Ambulance Service, Stan Dogbe said that contrary to the press release debunking the viral video, there could actually be some truth in there.

Sharing a screenshot of a May 23, 2023, post made by this supposed ‘manufacturing company,’ SK Motors FZCO, on Facebook, Stan Dogbe indicated that the cars were actually being advertised for sale.

"SK Motors FZCO, the Dubai-based car dealer, whom the National Ambulance Service of the Republic of Ghana claimed in a statement on Monday to be the manufacturers of a set of ambulances being procured, had earlier on May 23, 2023, put up for sale on its Facebook page what it described as New Toyota Hiace GL 2024 Ambulances.

"The ambulance in the accompanying photo for the advert was none other than what appeared in an amateur video with the Republic of Ghana National Ambulance Service logo and details on them," Stan Dogbe wrote.

He also stated that the company has since deleted the post following the statement released by the National Ambulance Service, and this has been corroborated by GhanaWeb’s checks.

Counter-claims:

The post by Stan Dogbe also said that SK Motors SFZO, which the Ghana Ambulance Service said is the company responsible for manufacturing the ambulances to be procured by the government of Ghana, was not accurate.

"In an earlier PR statement regarding the viral video, the Service claimed that the ambulance is part of a fleet that has been procured and is due to be shipped to Ghana. The Service also claimed that SK Motors FZCO is the manufacturer of the Toyota ambulance, a fact that I have challenged the Service to provide proof of.

"SK Motors has this evening deleted the earlier Facebook advert of the GoG advert, but folks had saved the post before they were prompted to delete," he said.

What SK Motors SFZO says it does:

GhanaWeb’s checks on the Facebook page of the company in question, SK Motors SFZO, give an indication of what they are primarily focused on.

The ‘Intro’ section on its Facebook page, SK Motors SFZO, states that “WE ARE LEADING EXPORTER OF NEW AND USED CARS WITH SHIPMENT AS WELL.”



On its official website, skmotorsdubai.com, the company details what it does as follows:

The Mission

At S.K. Motors, we aim to bridge the gap between manufacturers from various parts of the world and the end-user from far-fetched, unexplored territories that allows easier automobile accessibility and attainability for people globally.



What We Do

From vehicle trading, exporting and distribution of vehicles around the globe – to armour vehicle conversion and fabrication – we cater to our clients’ automotive needs and leave no stone unturned to not only fulfil, but surpass their expectations and requirements.

At S.K. Motors, we don’t just sell cars – we deliver experiences and build long-lasting relationships with our clients.

Over the years, S.K. Motors has successfully built strategic partnerships and alliances with notable automotive brands that has resulted in gaining their trust when it comes to exports or re-exports of automobiles across the GCC region and beyond.

Whether a potential client needs new/used cars, commercial trucks or pickups, vans or wagons – we provide them top-notch vehicles from all the well-known automotive brands across the globe such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Daihatsu, Isuzu, Hino, etc.



Conclusion:

The claim by the Ghana Ambulance Service that SK Motors SFZO is the company that is in charge of manufacturing the ambulances that the government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Health, and with support from the World Bank, is procuring, is misleading.

The details as provided by the company’s own Facebook and website, show that what it primarily does is to sell cars, and as such, it cannot be factual that it is the company that is manufacturing the ambulances Ghana is buying from Dubai.

The conclusion, as reached by the GhanaWeb Factcheck desk, is that the Ghana Ambulance Service provided inaccurate information on the role SK Motors SFZO is playing in this saga.

AE/DO