Joe Ghartey
Minister for Railways Joe Ghartey last week paid a day’s working visit to Paga and Navrongo to brief the chiefs on progress so far made with regard to the extension of railways to Paga and Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and to seek the blessings and support of traditional authorities, as consultants prepare to come round for the engineering works.
The two chiefs – Pe Awampaga of Paga and Pe Asagepare II – didn’t mince words in expressing their excitement, including that of their subjects, about the project. They thanked the President for his foresight and tenacity of purpose and prayed that the execution of the project would engender the accompanying development to their respective areas.
According to the minister, the project is the Kumasi-Paga route and the Eastern Corridor route. Consultants are already at work and hopefully engineering processes are expected to be completed in eight months’ time.
Sixteen companies expressed interest, with 12 shortlisted for further consideration.
The minister was accompanied by his deputy – Andy Appiah Kubi – a consultant and some staff of the ministry.