Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
INFORMATION MINISTER Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has indicated that the vision of President Nana Akufo-Addo to significantly rehabilitate and transform Ghana’s railway sector remains strongly on course.
According to the minister, the president remains committed to his transformative agenda for the sector, especially in terms of connecting the railway track to Paga in the Northern Region.
He told journalists in Accra yesterday at the Information Ministry’s bi-weekly press briefing that feasibility studies have been undertaken by government on the proposed 596km Greenfield railway line from Kumasi to Paga (the central spine).
The minister indicated that “the construction of the rail line will be undertaken in sections: the Kumasi to Buipe section, the Buipe to Tamale section and the Tamale to Paga with a branch line from Tamale to Yendi.”
He stated that “this is significant because this will be the first time since 1898 when the British introduced the railways into the then Gold Coast that the railways with go beyond Kumasi. The president has promised that we will get to Paga and his vision is on course.”
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah explained that since assuming office in January 2017, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration has worked hard to revive the fortunes of the country’s railway sector.
Rehabilitation
He indicated that sections of existing narrow gauge were undergoing massive rehabilitation.
According to him, the rehabilitation of the existing 56km narrow gauge line from Kojokrom to Tarkwa through Nsuta is nearing completion.
“This will lead to the restoration of passenger rail services from Tarkwa to Takoradi for the first time since 2007,” he asserted.
He added that “the freight service from the manganese mine at Nsuta to Takoradi is in operation and the ongoing rehabilitation has also led to the spectacular reduction of the number of derailments and incidents that occur on the line.”
In 2017, due to the total deterioration of the Western Line, a total of 700 major and minor incidents were recorded including derailments.
The average incidents, including derailments, since January 2018 when rehabilitation commenced in earnest, are five per month, down from an average of 60 incidents per month in 2017, the minister reported.
He said that “the aim is to reduce the incidents to the barest minimum and make it an exception rather than the rule.”
Construction
The construction of the new standard gauge railway line from Kojokrom to Manso, a distance of 22km, he disclosed, is also progressing steadily, adding that “this is being funded by the Government of Ghana.”
He added that “rehabilitation of the Achimota to Tema section of the Line is approximately 90% complete and test runs have commenced.”
Work is ongoing on the Achimota to Accra Central section of the line and the Achimota to Nsawam section of the line and this will be completed before the end of 2018.
Ten (10) existing passenger coaches have undergone refurbishment. This will enhance passenger comfort when the sub-urban commuter services re-open on this line.
He indicated that the construction of the Ghana-Burkina Faso railway project would commence in 2019.
BY Melvin Tarlue