Works to start on Boankra Port, Eastern Railway Line

Work is to soon start on the Boankra Inland Port Project and the Eastern Railway Line, following the successful completion of negotiations between government and a group of investors.

Mrs. Joyce Mogtari, Deputy Minister of Transport, said this would be done under public-private partnership (PPP) deal.

Already a Transaction Advisor has been engaged with the Finance and Transport Ministries and the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), to develop financial and economic model, advise and prepare bidding documents.

Additionally, the Advisor is managing the procurement process for the take-off of these projects by the close of this year.

Mrs. Mogtari dropped the hint when she addressed a workshop on the Ghana Railway Master Plan (GRMP) in Kumasi.

She said the projects formed an important multi-modal transport infrastructure development plan, to improve the rail link between Tema and Kumasi, as well as enhance the operational efficiency of both the Tema and Takoradi Ports.

This would facilitate trade by bringing import and export services closer to the people, particularly shippers in the northern part of the country, and neighbouring land-locked countries including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The GRMP, developed by government in collaboration with Messrs TEAM Engineering Consultancy Group, an Italian firm, provides a blue print to guide in the planning, rehabilitation, modernization and expansion of the nation’s ailing rail network in a systematic and strategic manner.

The plan implementation has been staggered in six phases, and will expand the total railway lines by about 4, 000 kilometres.

Currently, only 13.3 per cent of the country’s rail network is operational, and this has been attributed to the lack of investment in the sector over the years.

Mr Joseph Yameen, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, said the rehabilitation of the railway sector would facilitate economic activities, and help to ease congestion on the roads.

Present at the workshop were Ministers of State, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Chiefs, representatives of the GRDA, the Shippers Council and Chamber of Mines.