Minister says government will revamp the railway sector
Boankra (Ash), July 31,
Ghanadot/GNA - Mr. Mike Hammah, the Minister of Roads
and Transport, has said about 134 million dollars would be
required to extend the Eastern, Central and Western railway
lines to the Boankra Inland Port for smooth take off of the
facility.
The government would take four years to complete the
different linkages to the port to serve neighbouring land
locked countries to the north of Ghana.
Speaking to newsmen at Boankra after his inspection of the
completed office complex of the Shippers’ Council, he said
45 million dollars would be needed to complete the Western
line, 55 million dollars for the Eastern line and an
additional 34 million dollars on the Central line.
The Minister was in the region to see problems facing the
transport sector and to interact with workers of the
railways.
Touching on the 1.8 kilometre road linking the inland port
with the Accra/Kumasi highway, the minister said efforts
were being made to review the contract to ensure value for
money.
He said part of a 02-million dollar loan contracted by the
government would be used to address problems at Kaasi where
any time it rained the place got flooded making it
impossible for the trains to operate.
He gave the assurance that the government would do all it
could to revamp the railway sector and urged the workers to
also play their part well.
Mr. Kofi Opoku-Manu, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said
railways play unique role in the socio-economic development
of a nation and it is incumbent on all stakeholders to
support the government to revamp the sector.
GNA
