Mr Ghartey speaking to journalists
The Minister for Railway Development, Joe Ghartey, has disclosed that the previous NDC government did not finish paying for the 15-kilometre (km) rail line from Sekondi to Kojokrom to Takoradi before it commissioned it a few days to the 2016 general elections.
The erstwhile Mahama government awarded a contract to Messers Amandi Holdings to construct the rail line which was commissioned by ex-President John Mahama with much fanfare in the last quarter of 2016.
However, it was not until August 2017 that the line, which cost about $165 million, was finally made operational.
Speaking to journalists in an interview at Kojokrom, near Takoradi, the Railway Development Minister remarked: “When we came to power, we realized that the previous government had not finished paying for the 15-kilometre rail line project and the current government is still paying for it”.
The minister was in the area to inspect the progress of work of some portions of the Western rail line from Kojokrom to Eshiem to Manso in the Mpohor District of the Western Region.
Continuing, he said: “Because government is continuous, we will not say the contract was signed by the previous NDC government so we will not pay. We are now paying for the old contract and a new one”.
The New Project
The minister revealed that the construction of a new standard gauge railway line from Kojokrom to Manso, covering a distance of 22km and being funded by the government of Ghana, was progressing steadily.
He explained that the first 2.55km earth works up to sub-ballast of the 5km Kojokrom-Eshiem project had been completed and that the construction of a railway bridge was ongoing.
He indicated that the site camp for the 17km Eshiem-Kojokrom project had been erected and that majority of the track materials were on site.
He mentioned that the 22km project, which will cost about $95 million, would be completed in 36 months and that would lead to the restoration of passenger rail services from Tarkwa to Takoradi.
Railway School
Joe Ghartey mentioned that his outfit was working tirelessly to transform the defunct Railway Training School located at Essikado in the Western Region into a world-class technical training institute.
To this end, he noted that the Ministry of Railway Development had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) at Tarkwa to train technical personnel for industry, academia and entrepreneurs.
The proposed Railway University would offer technical and educational training in various disciplines in the railway sector.
Western Rail Line
Nadav Simon, Managing Director of Amandi Holdings, explained that the major railway line in the Western Railway network was about 340km which would connect the port of Takoradi with Kumasi, branch to Awaso and extend to Nyinahini in the Ashanti Region.
He mentioned that the project would serve two major mines including the Ghana Manganese Company at Nsuta and the Ghana Bauxite Company at Awaso – both in the Western Region.
Transportation of other bulk cargo such as cement, mining equipment, timber, flour and petroleum would also benefit from the construction of the rail line when completed.
Technical Details
The managing director added that the project would entail 22km single standard gauge truck, three train stations, power, water and sewage systems as well as pedestrian bridges.
He added that it would also have three road overpasses and the longest railway bridge in West Africa which would be about 375 metres and 45 drainage culverts.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Kojokrom