John Peter Amewu
The Minister of Railway Development, John Peter Amewu, has disclosed that the on-going construction of a new 97.7km standard gauge railway line from the Tema Port to Mpakadan to connect with the Volta Lake transport system is about 85% complete.
According to him, the project is expected to be fully completed and handed over to the government by the end of the first quarter of 2022.
Answering questions on the floor of Parliament, the Minister said the project include the construction of a major railway bridge measuring 300 metres across the Volta River.
This is between Senchi and Old Akrade area, he indicated, and added that work was progressing steadily by the contractors, Messrs Afcons, with funds drawn from a credit facility from the Indian EXIM Bank as approved by Parliament.
“Mr. Speaker, the project was originally scheduled to be completed by July, 2021 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project has significantly delayed,” he noted.
The MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and his colleague for the Upper Denkyira West, Daniel Ohene Darko had jointly filed the question wanting to know the status of the Tema-Mpakadan railway project and when it would be operationalized.
Mr. Amewu explained that the rig being used by the contractor for the construction of the rail bridge had sunk into the lake, thereby posing some technical challenges for the on-going construction works which has also contributed significantly to the delay in the project completion date.
“Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, the on-going construction of the 97.7km standard gauge railway line from the Tema Port to Mpakadan is about 85% complete and is expected to be fully completed and handed over to the Government by the end of the first quarter of 2022,” he stressed.
He intimated that in order to ensure the availability of standard gauge rolling stock to facilitate the commissioning and initial operationalization of the Tema to Mpakadan railway line, a lease purchase agreement had been signed with a supplier for the supply of two sets of Class IC4 High Speed Diesel Multiple Unit (DMV) Trains, equipment and accompanying spare parts.
“The DMUs are expected to be delivered within 8 to 12 months,” he noted and added that a supplier’s credit facility from Dongfang Electric International Corporation has already been approved by this august House for the supply of new standard gauge locomotives, wagons and coaches.”
“A number of this new rolling stock will be deployed for freight and passenger operations on the Tema-Mpakadan rail line after its completion,” he concluded.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House