President Mahama commissions Western Railway Lines

President John Dramani Mahama over the weekend commissioned the reconstructed Western Railway Lines to facilitate movement of goods and passengers in a more rapid manner.

The project consists of the development of a five-kilometre single lane from Kojokrom to Sekondi and a 10-kilometre lane from Kojokrom to Takoradi.

It comes with ultra-modern terminals at Kojokrom, Sekondi and Takoradi, four halt stations namely Sekondi Prisons, Ketan, Bakado and Esaman, all in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

The sub-urban rail network project, an initiative of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), was constructed by Amandi Holdings and was funded by the Government of Ghana.

President Mahama said the revival of the rail transport sector would ultimately help in transforming lives of people in and round the lines in terms of carting goods from the rural areas.

“The Government’s commitment in revamping the rail line system in Ghana had been systematic, consistent and strategic and my second term in office will mark a new era in the development of railways in Ghana,” he said.

The President said government had prioritised the sector by revamping some old rail lines and securing loans to build new ones.
Meanwhile work on the Tema-Akosombo Railway Lines would soon start.

The President said in 2010 that the rail line from Asopotsonaa to the Tema Harbour was being reconstructed and in 2013, the line was further extended to Community One in Tema to provide a continuous rail journey from the heart of Accra to the centre of Tema Township.

The Government, he noted, would continue work on the reconstruction of the Eastern Railway Line from Tema to Kumasi via Boankra Inland Port, build sub-urban railway lines between Accra-Amasaman-Nsawam and Kumasi-Ejisu and also continue work on the Tema-Akosombo Line.

Source: GNA