The Minister for Railway Development, John Peter Amewu has outlined the government’s commitment to connect railway network to neighbouring countries.
According to him, the ambitious plans to modernise and expand the railway network across the ECOWAS bloc is on course.
Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Africa Prosperity Dialogues in Accra, he cited that they have developed the feasibility studies to cater for the Trans-ECOWAS line which runs from Lome straight to Ivory Coast.
He indicated that one of the novel projects that could have been a surprise to the African continent is the joint development train project commenced by President Akufo Addo and his counterpart in Burkina Faso that might run from Tema through Mpakadan, Volta region, Tamale, Paga and all the way to Burkina Faso, but the project unfortunately stalled due to military takeover of government in Burkina Faso.
He mentioned one of the difficulties in implementing such projects is Public Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The Hohoe MP indicated that the viability gap alone identified within that project was in an excess of $1.2bn.
He therefore assured that a train from Ghana to Nigeria is possible if government closes the viability gap.
“Train from Ghana to Nigeria is possible, we’ve started train from Ghana to Burkina Faso so why not Nigeria. As and when we expand, and there is a lot of voting power there, it can be done” he concluded.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/Akokoraba Nyarko
