Ghana’s railway sector has been in comatose for quite a number of years. Regimes upon regimes have come with grandiose promises to normalize the challenges faced in the sector but to no avail.
In his overwhelming ambition to revive the sector that employs thousands of Ghanaians and to also shore up our modes of transportation of people, goods and services, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, gave priority to the railway sector by creating the railway ministry out of the transport ministry.
That singular decision has proven worthwhile as more than significant progress has been made since Hon. Joe Ghartey was made the substantive minister for the sector.
First of all, the Accra to Nsawam railway line is being rehabilitated earnestly. It is being undertaken by the Ghana Railways Company Limited with assistance from Transnet of South Africa.
Moreover, on the Western Line, rehabilitation works have begun on the narrow gauge from Secondi-Takoradi to Tarkwa. Ghana Railways Company Limited is handling this section and is being assisted technically by Holtrade from the UK.
Mention ought to be made of the construction of the new standard gauge on the Western Line. Amandi has been given the contract for the phase one which is from Secondi-Takoradi to Manso.
It is instructive to mention that for the first time in the history of the Volta Region, railways’ transportation will be experienced. The Tema to Akosombo rail line has been redesigned as the Tema-Mpakadan project.
It is important to also stress that the Government of Ghana has entered into an agreement with Transnet of South Africa to provide Ghana with a number of coaches to augment the ones we have in the country.
These photographs give credence to the fact that the Akufo-Addo administration has not paid lip service to the development of our railways sector as previously experienced under the regimes before the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.
This is a tacit manifestation that the Akufo-Addo administration has done a yeoman’s job in less than two years in resuscitating the hitherto dead railways sector.
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