Ghana-Burkina railway project at procurement stage

The Ghana-Burkina railway interconnectivity project is currently ongoing and at the procurement stage which is expected to end with the choosing of a successful bidder, the Minister for Railways Development, Joe Ghartey has said.

This is expected to be done by the second quarter of 2020.

The Minister said this when the Technical team of the Ghana-Burkina Railway Interconnectivity Project and the Consultants for the Project, met with stakeholders at Nalerigu and Walewale in northern Ghana for a stakeholders’ meeting.

Mr. Ghartey said the Consultants are done with the pre-feasibility studies and are expected to complete the feasibility report by December 2019.

The project which is to be on a Built Operate and Transfer basis is an idea for both countries to enhance economic activity between them.

The primary objective of the railway interconnectivity project is to facilitate trade and development between the two countries through an efficient transportation service for both freight and passengers which falls in line with Ghana’s Railway Master Plan.

The project when completed will link the two countries through a rail line from Ghana’s Eastern Corridor.

The proposed railway line to be developed is a standard gauge railway line and starts from Mpakadan where ongoing construction of a railway line from the Tema Port terminates at the Volta Lake.

The total length of the line under construction is approximately 100km.

The proposed railway line is expected to pass through Hohoe, Jasikan, Nkwanta, Bimbilla to Yendi and Sheni. It is projected to continue to Tamale, Walewale, Bolgatanga, Navrongo and then link Burkina Faso at the Paga-Dakota border, approximately 700km from Mpakadan.

The Minister further explained that is the policy of Government to link all Regional Capitals with railway lines. Therefore, the Regional Capitals in the Volta, Oti, North, North East and Upper East Regions will be linked to the railway network.