Accra-Tema Railways: 98% Complete

As part of the President John Evans Atta Mills’ and the NDC government’s better Ghana agenda promised the good people of Ghana, very soon, passengers and private car owners who use Tema-Accra roads, would enjoy free flow of traffic following the completion of about 98% of the Accra-Tema railway lines.

The good news is that, this time around, two new trains that can take about 700 each have been purchased to carry passengers from Tema to Accra.

This is expected to reduce the number of commuters who use the roads, thereby easing traffic significantly. President John Evans Atta Mills, before coming to power, assured the good people of Ghana that if voted to power, he and his government would revamp the railway sector and bring it back to life, after its collapse under the NPP administration.

This was made known when the Deputy Minister of Information, Hon. Agyenim Boateng, together with the Deputy Minister of Transport, Hon. Dzifa Attivor, went on a tour of Tema to ascertain for themselves the progress on the ongoing construction of the railway line and the challenges the contractors are facing.

As at now, the NDC Government has been able to put funds together and rehabilitated some major railway lines. The NDC Government within just 20 months in office has also been able to settle 7 months arrears left behind by the NPP Administration to the railway workers. This is to ensure that the workers can operate in comfort and take good care of the new Diesel Multiple Units train.

However, the only challenges that are now delaying the project are encroachment on a space earmarked for a car park at the Tema train station, and unauthorized structures along the railway lines from Tema to Accra.

In spite of serious announcements and advertisement that have been carried out on both radio, television and newspapers, the squatters have remained adamant. Meanwhile, the completion of the project is scheduled to be in October 2010 for usage in order to help passengers commute from Tema to Accra with ease and at an affordable fee.

The new Diesel Multiple Unit trains have been designed in such a way that nobody can hang on them again.