Railway interconnectivity report between Ghana, Burkina Faso presented in Bolgatanga
The inception report of phase one of feasibility studies on the Ghana-Burkina Faso railway interconnectivity project was at the weekend presented in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital.
The overall objective of the project is to develop railway interconnectivity from the Tema Port in Ghana to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.
The project would improve passenger and cargo transportation and logistics chain on the corridor, and accelerate development and economic growth of both countries.
The scope of work on the project, which are in four phases, has as its first phase the preliminary studies, which involves preparation of files regulating the guidelines, challenges and the project strategic orientations.
Phase two entails procurement process for private partner, while phases three and four are analysis of technical studies conducted by the private partner, and monitoring and supervision of construction and work acceptance.
Mr Andy Appiah-Kubi, the Deputy Minister for Railways Development who spoke to Journalists at the programme, said the meeting was a point of reconciliation for the Governments of Ghana and Burkina Faso, and their Consultants to think alike.
He emphasized that the meeting was “for them to understand us properly and for us to also understand how they are going to do what we expect of them.
“So, the inception report is to give us their understanding of the project as described in the terms of reference.”
Asked how long it would take to complete the project, Mr Appiah-Kubi, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Asante Akim North Constituency in the Ashanti Region, gave the assurance that plans were far advanced, and soon the industrial city of Tema would be connected by rail to Ouagadougou.
Mr Jean Victorien Toe, the Minister for Urban Planning and Urban Mobility for Burkina Faso, who addressed the opening of the meeting, said there were shortcomings in the work of the Consultants of the project.
Even though the Minister did not state the challenges, he expressed confidence that all issues would be ironed out by the close of the consultative meeting on the report.
The meeting was attended by Technocrats from the two countries.
Source: GNA