Minister of Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, has told Parliament that the Tema to Mpakadan Railway project is about 85% complete and is expected to be fully completed and handed over to Government by the end of the first quarter of 2022.
Responding to a question in the plenary, the Minister explained that the project was originally scheduled to be completed by July 2021 but due to COVID – 19 pandemic and its protocols adherence, the project has been delayed.
He added that the contractor is also facing some technical challenges which have also contributed to the delay in the project’s original completion date.
Mr. Amewu was responding to a question filed by the Member of Parliament for Nsawam – Adoagyiri and Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh, seeking to know the current status of the Tema – Mpakadan railway project.
About the Tema to Mpakadan railway
The Tema-Mpakadan rail line is part of the 1,000km Ghana-Burkina Faso Railway Interconnectivity Project which will link Ghana from Tema to Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou.
In December 2019, the Minister disclosed that 28 kilometres of track have been laid, with the contractor assuring that 40 more kilometres of the track will be completed by the end of this year.
The Project, when completed will be a modern, standard gauge rail line
The two countries had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in January 2017 in Ouagadougou to kick-start the project.
According to the plan, some 800km of the railway line will be in Ghana’s territory while the remaining 200km will be on Burkinabe soil.
