President Nana Akufo-Addo, has reduce the sod for work to begin on the 83.5-kilometre standard gauge railway line from Kumasi to Obuasi, as part of the new Western Line becoming made.
Performing the sod reducing ceremony on Wednesday, 30th September 2020, Akufo-Addo pointed out that, by January 2017, out of the 947 kilometres of colonial slender-gauge rail network bequeathed to the country by the colonialists, hardly 10% was operational.
He mentioned that, aside from the 15 kilometre slender gauge railway line constructed amongst 2012 and 2017 from Sekondi to Takoradi by way of Kojokrom, no kilometre of railway line had been additional.
“Upon my assumption of office, I was decided to alter this statistic, mainly because I considered that the presence of an effective, helpful railway method was critical to the progress, prosperity and progress of our nation.
This led me to the determination to establish the Ministry of Railways Progress, with the Member of Parliament for Essikadu Ketan, the dynamic Hon. Joe Ghartey, at the helm of affairs. By all accounts, this has started out yielding fruits” he mentioned.
“Today’s party, the chopping of the sod for the development of the 83.5km Kumasi to Obuasi line, is a very clear manifestation of the Akufo-Addo Government’s plan to mature and produce the country’s railway sector” the President extra.
It will be recalled that earlier this 12 months, Cabinet and Parliament each accepted a €500 million agreement for the design of a new typical gauge line from Takoradi Harbour to Kojokrom, and also from Manso to Huni Valley.
When this is completed, 1 hundred and two kilometres (102km) of new conventional-gauge railway traces would have been built, as portion of the advancement of a new typical-gauge Western Line.
President Akufo-Addo described that the Western Line is important to the prosperous establishment of the new bauxite and aluminum industry staying promoted by authorities.
The Sheini and Oppon Manso iron ore deposits, which will type the foundation of the imminent iron and metal marketplace, in accordance to the President, require a modern day railway network to transportation the ore and the processed uncooked content.
Moreover, President Akufo-Addo instructed the collecting that operate is also progressing steadily on the Tema to Mpakadan Line, which is the initially section of the Tema to Paga area of the Ghana-Burkina Railway Interconnectivity Challenge.
“This railway line has branch traces to Sheini and Oppon Manso. The exploitation of the bauxite deposits at Atiwa, as part of the nascent bauxite and aluminum market, will also benefit from the construction of a new railway line,” he additional.
With the imminent graduation of design of the Boankra Inland Port, next the approval by Parliament of a $300 million concession facility, the President mentioned that, considering the fact that 1995, the region has been grappling with the improvement of the inland port.
The economic viability of the Boankra Inland Task, he stressed, will be drastically enhanced by the presence of a railway line, incorporating that “a new normal gauge railway line from Accra to Tema to Kumasi is a must, and I anticipate contracts to be signed for the commencement of the development of a line from Accra to Tema to Kumasi just before the December elections.”
With the country’s railway network getting never long gone over and above Kumasi, he introduced that a feasibility study and the preliminary structure of a new normal gauge line, from Eduabin to Paga through Bechem, Sunyani, Techiman and Tamale, has been finished.
“Next week, final stakeholder holder consultations will commence, after which the procedures for land acquisition will get started. Enable me choose the possibility to attractiveness to the chiefs, who are the custodians of our land, to give their total aid to this project. The economic value of all lands, exactly where there is enhancement of the railway line, will be enormously improved,” he included.
Akufo-Addo also observed that, in the very first four many years of his administration, much more development activity in the railway sector has absent on than in any interval of the country’s history because independence.
“Over the final 3 years and ten months we have laid a good basis, which will acquire an even bigger impetus when Nana and the NPP get 4 additional many years to do far more for you. My commitment to the improvement of a new present day typical railway network is unwavering,” he certain.
