Kweku Boateng addressing the participants at the forum
The multi-million dollar Tema-Akosombo railway project will commence in October, this year barring any hitches.
This came to light on Thursday in Accra when the Ministry of Railways Development held its first formal stakeholders’ engagement forum.
The forum was aimed at discussing ongoing works on the Tema–Akosombo rail line and other matters concerning the redevelopment of the country’s rail subsector.
Deputy Minister of Railways Development, Kwaku Agyenim Boateng, who presented the roadmap for the redevelopment of Ghana’s rail lines and also launched a special stakeholder’s engagement forum for the ministry on the occasion, said currently the contractors for the Tema-Akosombo Project, the AFCON Group of India, were mobilizing to site for an effective commencement of the project by October.
Parliament in 2016 approved an Indian EXIM Bank Loan of $398 million for the project, which is 84.8 km single standard gauge railway line from Tema to Akosombo on an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis.
The project, which forms the foundation of a planned multi-modal freight corridor, is a partnership between GRDA and AFCONS Infrastructure Limited of India, with the latter as the financier.
As the project is expected to commence in about two months from now, the Ministry, AFCON and GRDA, have deemed it necessary to engage both institutional and community stakeholders, particularly those who are likely to be adversely affected by the project to see how best their concerns can be addressed without delay to the project, which is to be completed within 36 months’ time.
Affected persons
It emerged at the forum that institutions such as the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), some telcos, who have laid their pipelines and cables underground in communities such Nimgo Prampram, Kpone Katamanso, among others, are likely to be affected.
Some residential property owners are also likely to be affected by the project, according to an official of AFCON Group, Vikas Kuma.
Mr Kuma promised that the project shall be completed and handed over to the Government of Ghana by 2020.
But Mr. Boateng said there will be a comprehensive compensation package for institutions and individuals to be affected by the project.
However, he warned that the compensation package shall be for only people who will be “legally” affected by the construction works and not encroachers, saying we are not going to regularize illegality by compensating encroachers.
BUSINESS GUIDE understands that the alignment for the railway line is being designed for 120 kilometres per hour trains, which are faster than the current 58 kilometres per hour passenger trains in Ghana, raising concerns about the safety of persons residing close to the railway.
Mr. Boateng said the sector ministry shall proactively engage key stakeholders like chiefs, institutions and community members, through the Stakeholder’s Engagement Forum, to educate and inform them about works being done and also about the need for residents to support government to achieve its dream of opening up the country for trade through the holistic development of the railways subsector.
According to him, the intention of government is to make the redevelopment of the country’s rail subsector a community-owned project, adding that the Ministry was particular about engaging with all stakeholders.
In attendance at the forum held at the African Regent Hotel were MCEs, DCEs, CEOs, MPs, Deputy Ministers of State, journalists, among others.
By Melvin Tarlue