I’ve revived Ghana’s railway sector to fulfill our promise– Akufo-Addo

Ghana has marked a significant milestone in its railway sector with the commissioning of the 97-kilometer Tema-Mpakadan railway line.

This new standard gauge line connects Tema, the country’s industrial hub, to Mpakadan in the Eastern Region, promising to enhance transport efficiency and bolster trade logistics nationwide.

Speaking at the inauguration, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming the railway sector, highlighting the project’s potential to spur economic growth and create jobs.

“This historic achievement, the first-ever standard gauge railway line in Ghana, symbolizes the bold strides we are making to modernize our transport infrastructure to drive the economic growth of our nation. This project is proof of what is possible when vision, commitment, and hard work align. As president, I pledged to prioritize the revival and expansion of Ghana’s railway sector, and today, we take another giant leap forward in fulfilling that promise,” he said.

The Tema-Mpakadan railway is a cornerstone of Ghana’s broader railway development strategy, which aims to construct more than 4,500 kilometers of railway lines across the country.

The project is part of a multi-modal transportation network designed to improve connectivity between Tema Port and the northern regions of Ghana. It also serves as the first phase of the 1,000-kilometer Ghana-Burkina Faso Railway Interconnectivity Project, a railway initiative linking Tema Port to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.

Construction of the railway line began in July 2018, with an initial completion target of 2021. However, delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic pushed its completion to December 2022. The railway line now stands as a testament to the government’s vision for modernizing Ghana’s transport infrastructure and driving sustainable development.