The Tema-Mpakadan Railway line will be open on October 1, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, the Transport Minister, has disclosed.
He said the train which was involved in an accident during a test drive on the Tema-Mpakadan Railway in 2024 had been repaired, stating that a test run of the Tema-Mpakadan Railway was carried out on September 16, 2025.
Mr Nikpe made the disclosure at the Government Accountability Series press conference held at the Presidency in Accra.
He said the Government plans to modernize and expand the railway infrastructure for fleet and passenger services, creating jobs, boosting local economies and fostering trade.
He noted that the 97km Tema to Mpakadan Railway Line, which was part of a multimodal system connecting Tema Port to Buipe Port via the Volta Lake, had been completed.
He said however, the viability of the rail line depends on fleet services but requires further investment in port infrastructure to facilitate the transfer of cargo between rail and the lake.
Mr Nikpe said the Government had therefore taken steps to devolve the line for fleet operations.
Concerning the Western Railway Line, the Minister said the Western Railway Line spans 330km from Takoradi to Kumasi, with a branch line extension from Dunkwa to Awaso.
Mr Nikpe said construction on sections of the line, the 22km Kojokrom to Manso, 78km from Takoradi Port to Huni Valley, and 6km Adum to Kaase, had all been halted since December 2024 due to unpaid payment certificates by the administration.
He said the Government, through the Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Railway Development Authority, was engaging stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney-General’s Office, to resolve the outstanding issues to enable the contractor to resume work.
“I am delighted to share with you that Amandi Construction, one of the contractors, has resumed work and is currently on site,” he said.
The Minister said the Ghana Railway Development Authority was currently collaborating with the Security Agencies and the Lands Commission to launch a campaign to remove encroachers from the railway right-of-way and perfect titles to railway lines nationwide.
He said this was to enable their contractors to have unimpeded assets to learn and facilitate early completion of railway projects.
Touching on Railway Labour Issues and Ghana Railway Company Limited Staff Salaries, Mr Nikpe said the Ghana Railway Company’s operations had declined over the years due to infrastructure deterioration, which had limited its capacity to generate sufficient revenue to cover its costs, including staff salaries.
“We are engaging with the Ministry of Finance and stakeholders to develop a sustainable solution going forward,” the Minister said.
“I must add that we feel for the workers, and we have gotten close to resolving this issue and getting them their salaries.”
GNA
