The Minister of Railway Development, Mr John-Peter Amewu, has said the 100km Tema-Mpakadan rail line is 80 per cent complete and scheduled to be handed over in November 2021.
Mr Amewu recently toured and inspected the project, which is part of the 1,100 km Ghana-Burkina Faso railway interconnectivity project.
The Hohoe MP reported that: “My inspection tour started with a courtesy call on Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, Paramount Chief of Akwamu Traditional Area’s palace (Akwamufie) where we were warmly received. The palace visit was to introduce myself and my entourage and also seek Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III’s blessings before entering the Akwamu land for our inspection tour”.
On behalf President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Amewu said: “I expressed the government’s appreciation to the Akwamu people for their support and also reiterated the Akufo-Addo government’s commitment to the railway industry’s development, referencing the quantum of investments this government has done within these 4 years in terms of the expenditure combined being far more than the 16 years of the previous governments’ expenditure combined”.
The Tema-Mpakadan railway project, he noted, “is currently over 80% complete”, adding: “The completion and handing over of this railway line are scheduled for November this year”.
The 100 km Akosombo-Mpakadan railway line, he pointed out, “is the beginning of the 1,100 km Ghana-Burkina Faso railway interconnectivity project”.
“By the year 2022, construction work is scheduled to start on the remaining portions of this intercontinental line”, the minister noted.
During his visit to the chief’s palace, he said Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, in his speech, “requested some pedestrian footbridges to be incorporated into various parts of the railway line to prevent obstructions when the line becomes operational”.
“He also requested his citizens to be considered for training and scholarship opportunities within the railway sector when these opportunities arise”, Mr Amewu said.
Additionally, he said the chief “also appealed for a community engagement with the Akwamu citizens by the ministry and agencies to enlighten them on the soon-to-be operationalised railway line and how they can maximise its benefit as stakeholders”.
“I have tasked the Ministry and Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) to, within the next 30 days, organise this stakeholder engagement with the Akwamu community”, he said.
After the visit to the Akwamuhene’s palace, Akwamufie, “we continued to inspect work on Mpakadan Railhead Terminal, Volta Rail Bridge, Doryumu Railway Station, and the completed truck works at km 27 to km 34, all at various parts of the 100 km Tema-Mpakadan railway line”.
Accompanying the minister on the inspection tour were the Chief Director of the Railway Development Ministry, Mr Desmond Boateng; the acting CEO of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), Mr Yao Owusu; and the minister’s Technical Advisor at the ministry, Mr Allan Doegah, and others.
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