In the next few years, we should see the resuscitation of railway towns along major routes in the country and for that matter, an increase in economic activities of all sorts.
What a boost for the flagship programmes of the president, all of which would depend on an efficient railway system for the transportation of produce to the urban areas and the ports for export.
Towns like Pakro and others, important stops on the railway route to Kumasi, would come to life and new ones spring up along the new lines to Burkina Faso.
A Ghana to Burkina line is an important development whose diplomatic pros would add to Ghana’s status in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This line was thought of by the legendary Colonial Governor, Gordon Guggisberg, when after the construction of the Takoradi harbor, he considered a line from that part of the Gold Coast to Paga – a town close to the then Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso.
What could not be accomplished at the time is now coming to pass, courtesy President Akufo-Addo and his good policies.
The railway resuscitation programme, the reason behind the minting of a fresh ministry for the purpose, is an adequate proof of the president’s commitment to seeing the railway system come to life and to play its critical role in the economy.
Verifiable work towards this goal is ongoing and very soon we can confirm that contractors to be engaged for the massive work would be on site.
We are excited about the massive strides being made by the Railway Ministry. For those who are nostalgic about the now extinct railway transportation system in the country, let them not fret as the efforts being made by the Hon Joe Ghartey and his team, would soon be able to travel by railway to major parts of the country and beyond.
If there is a ministry which is keeping its positive story to its chest, it is the Railway Ministry whose Accra to Nsawam rail line, even before the start of the major ones, is said to be ready to take off in the next few months.
No longer shall we be restricted to the road network and its myriad of challenges and dangers when the major works are completed.
There has been an overwhelming response from prospective companies interested in being considered for the resuscitation of the railway system in the country.
For a railway system which has long been dead in the country, President Akufo-Addo’s decision to make good his promise of reactivating it is a good thing.
The importance of a functioning railway in a country with an extractive industry likes ours cannot be overlooked as we have done over the years.
For successive governments to show such indifference as they did when the system began getting rusty, until it collapsed completely, is unpardonable.
The amount of money being used to manage our road network in the country would be reduced massively when there is a reliable alternative such as a functioning railway system.
The unemployment situation in the country will receive a boost from a full-fledged railway system – there is no doubt.
Let us all support the Railway Ministry because the line to Burkina Faso especially, would bring about a major boost to the economy not witnessed before in the country.