Be patient, we’re building world-class rail sector- Joe Ghartey to Ghanaians

Railway Development Minister, Joe Ghartey is appealing to Ghanaians especially train passengers to exercise patience as the country is building a world-class rail sector which will be more efficient and effective to the development and growth of Ghana.

The Minister made the appeal when he toured and inspected some ongoing projects at Eshiem and Angu together with the contractors from Amandi Holdings and Consultants as well.

Eshiem and Angu are among the communities that play host to the new construction of the Western rail lines. At Eshiem the Joe Ghartey was briefed by the Managing Director for Amandi Holdings, Nadav Simon about the progress of work done on the five kilometres lines from Kojokrom to Eshiem Simon told the minister that the stretch was about forty percent completed and are waiting for excavation and filling works.

Nadav Simon, Managing Director of Amandi Holdings, said: “This is the edge that is coming from the Kojokrom station, we have finished already 2.5kilometers of civil works and we are left with other 2.5 kilometers which have delayed due to land acquisition but with help of the client and the ministry, we have overcome that challenge and we are far advanced that by the middle of April of this year we will finish and connect the line to the viaduct”. (a bridge build in between a low lying area or a Valley for a train)

Nadav Simon further revealed that the viaduct which is ninety percent completed will the the longest in West Africa.

Amandi Holdings is currently working on the construction of a new standard gauge rail line from Kojokrom to Manso on the western line,

At Angu, the Railway Development Minister explained that the Ghana Railway Company had to suspend passenger service on the Takoradi to Tarkwa rail lines in the Western Region due to the construction of eight new culverts from Angu to Manso.

“Look at the construction ongoing, Amandi is building a bridge that accommodates 25 tonnes of load what we have on our roads are 12 tonnes, apart from that when the line is completed the speed of the train will move from 40 kilometers to 120 kilometers per hour, passengers will arrive at their destination safely and on time, moreover we will be able to cut more goods too so there’s no need to rush the contractors to complete the projects if we don’t do it well one day people will blame us so I will appeal to passengers to take it easy,” he added

Mr Ghartey expressed satisfaction with the rate of work being done on the line, and assured of a monthly reporting on the progress of work, to the people of Ghana through the media.

The Deputy Resident Engineer for Team Engineering Peter Forkah consultant to the project told the media that a proposal has been sent to the Railway Development Authority to extend the reopening of Takoradi-Tarkwa lines.