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Communications Director of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team, Miracles Aboagye has disclosed that the current government has invested over $1.1 billion in the railway sector since 2017.
According to him, the investment has been made to revive the dead railway sector they took over from the Mills-Mahama Administration.
Speaking on the “Next Chapter show” focusing on the Railway sector on Sunday16 June,2024, Miracles Aboagye said after decades of underfunding, poor management and neglect leading to deterioration and near collapse of Ghana’s railway sector, the NPP government in 2001 established the Ministry of Ports, Harbours and Railways with a renewed focus.
He said, coming into office of the Mills-Mahama administration in 2009, the sector was moved back to the Ministry of Transport and few achievements were made.
He said, the Mills-Mahama administration only constructed 15km Takoradi-Kojokrom-Sekondi in the Western Region.
But upon assumption of the Nana Addo-Bawumia administration, over $1.1 billion has been invested in sector since 2017 and the impacts of these investment is being manifested in the number of projects completed.
“In 2017, the Akufo-Addo administration with renewed focus on rail transportation established the Ministry of Railways Development and mandated it to oversee the rapid modernization and revamping of Ghana’s railway sector. This renewed focus has led to significant investment in the sector. Over USD 1.1 billion has been invested in the sector since 2017 and the impacts of these investment is being manifested in the number of projects completed or currently ongoing. Currently over 200km of standard gauge railway lines is being added onto the network”. Aboagye said.
He said the NPP has seen to the construction of 85km Tema- Akosombo railway line, construction of the 22km Kojokrom to Manso section of the Western railway Line on standard gauge, construction of the 78km Manso -Huni Valley section of the Western Railway Line on standard gauge among others.
“The Construction of the 85km Tema- Akosombo railway line on standard gauge. The alignment was later changed to Mpakadan to avoid construction close to the dam. This change in alignment extended the line from 85km to 97km and introduced the construction of the magnificent Volta Railway Bridge.
“The construction of the 22km Kojokrom to Manso section of the Western railway Line on standard gauge.
“The construction of the 78km Manso -Huni Valley section of the Western Railway Line on standard gauge. Project includes the construction of 8km of lines at the Takoradi Port, conversion of the dual gauge section between Takoradi Port and Kojokrom”.he added.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com |Vincent Kwofie.
