The Director for Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring & Evaluation at Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) Ing. Al-Amin Is-Hak Al-Hassan has called on stakeholders in railway development to sustain efforts towards investment and development of railway infrastructure in Ghana. He was speaking on the progress made in Railway Planning, Construction and Management in Ghana at the Labadi Beach Hotel where he was guest speaker to patrons of the renowned Rotary Club of Accra.

From a brief history of railway construction in Ghana, Ing. Al-Hassan discussed progress made in the development of new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) lines in the country in accordance with the Ghana Railway Master Plan. The master Plan, he said, is an ambitious national programme to systematically construct 3,844km of SGR to aid national development, and that the SGR is being designed to speeds of 160km/hr, minimum axle loads of 25ton allowing for the transport of bulk cargo, mineral ores and other goods at relatively cheaper costs than other modes of transport.

Lines currently being developed are sections of the Western Railway Line from Takoradi Port through Kojokrom to Manso, Tarkwa and Huni Valley and between Kumasi and Kaasi. On the Eastern Expansion, the 97km Tema to Mpakadan line has been completed. Although current lines appear to be predominantly for freight, he said, passenger and commuter services are integral to the plans. The lines will connect all regional capitals, newly identified areas of mineral deposits and industrial hubs to the national ports. Transnational lines in the Master Plan include the east-west Trans-ECOWAS line from Aflao to Elubo and the south-north Ghana-Burkina Faso Railway Interconnectivity Project (a bilateral project between the governments of Burkina Faso and Ghana) the first phase of which has been completed as the 97km Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line.

The development of railway network is capital intensive and the focus is to initially build freight lines whose returns could be used to subsidise passenger travel as revenue from passenger services is significantly inadequate to pay up the investment. Ing. Al-Hassan bemoaned the inadequate investment in the sector emphasizing that assessment for investment in rail should be based on long-term economic and social benefits as against financial and capital returns.

He discussed challenges posed by galamsey on the Western line. He called on the general public to desist from illegal mining, encroachment, theft, vandalism and activities along the railway corridor that undermine structural integrity of rail infrastructure. Benefits of investment, he said, will not be accrued to the state if individuals steal and vandalise track and rail equipment which the state has spent millions of dollars to construct.

Concluding his discussion, Ing. Al-Hassan announced that the Tema-Mpakadan Line will commence operations for passenger services by mid-year and commuters between Adomi and Tema will be able to access rail services on daily basis.