[ 2014-10-01 ]

Government Rolls Out Comprehensive Program To Revamp The Railway Sector
The government has rolled out a comprehensive
programme to revamp the country’s railway
sector. Poor management and low investment has
left the once vibrant railway sector in a bad
state requiring urgent revamping.


Currently due to the bad nature of the railway
lines and the lack of coaches, several heavy
goods, like timber and heavy equipment, which
hitherto depend on the rail form of
transportation, are being carted by road thus
causing most of the roads to deteriorate.

But the Ministry of Transport has hinted of a plan
to restore the ailing railway sector to its glory
days.

This has been necessitated due to criticism of
government’s rhetoric on the rehabilitation and
expansion of existing rail infrastructure.

Deliberating on the railway sub-sector in an
exclusive interview with Live News’ Ekow Annan,
the Deputy Minister of Transport, Joyce Mogtari
Bawah mentioned the progress of work in the
railway industry.

“I am happy to recall that in recent times, the
government of Ghana and the Brazilian government
have agreed to fund almost half of the Western
railway line. With respect to the next portion of
it leading to Kumasi, we also have a company that
is very keen to invest. With regards to the
Eastern railway line, we realize that without the
commencement of the railway line, it will be
unable to deeply develop the Boankra inland
port” she said.

In a related development,
Madam Mogtari Bawah has underscored the importance
of the upgrade of the Tamale Airport to an
International status.

This she noted will open up the three Northern
region’s – which are the most deprived and
poorest in the country – to some form of
international activity which will help turn around
their economic fortunes.

When completed, it will become Ghana’s second
international airport after the Kotoka Airport.

The completion of this airport is expected to
divert some traffic from the KIA, as Ghana makes
giant strides to upgrade its airline
infrastructure to rival Africa’s key hubs such
as Ethiopia and South Africa.

The first phase of the project, which is being
undertaken solely by the Ghana Airports Company
(GAC) with a $100-million Brazilian facility, is
expected to end in 2015.

The components includes a 4,000-metre runway
extension, the construction of additional aprons,
the installation of aeronautical ground lighting
systems and the construction of a perimeter road
and a security fence.

Upon completion, the Tamale International Airport
will be able to accommodate larger aircraft,
including the Boeing 747-800 series.

“The tamale upgrade will bring it to the level
of an international airport which has been in the
cast for a very long time. In fact even at the
time when Kwame Nkrumah cut the sod for that
particular airport to be developed, his vision
then was for it to be a second international
airport to augment the services been offered by
the Kotoka international airport. But of course
due to the same concern which was the lack of
funding, that dream did not come to fusion then.
What we have decided to do now and something that
the president considers as a priority project is
to develop that airport” Joyce Mogtari Bawah
said.

Touching on the benefits the airport will bring to
the Northern part of the country, she added that
“we have several of our agricultural
pro-businesses in that part of Ghana. So I believe
that opening up this facility for at least, some
level of international activities will also
encourage business in that regard.”

Source - Live FM

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