NPP government plans to expand rail network to every region — Peter Amewu

The Minister for Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, has outlined plans by the NPP government to expand Ghana's railway network to reach all regions in the country.

In an interview on Accra-based JoyNews' PM Express on Monday, Mr Amewu said while previous governments had allowed the railway sector to decline, President Akufo-Addo is committed to revitalizing Ghana's rail infrastructure with a nationwide plan.

He noted that in 2007/2008 under former President Kufuor, a feasibility study was conducted by Dal to examine the viability of a railway line between Tema and Akosombo.

This laid the foundation for the project, according to him, unlike the claim made by NDC National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi that the project was started by former President John Mahama.

“People like Sammy Gyamfi [NDC’s Communication Officer] should stop misleading Ghanaians. NDC cannot claim full ownership over the Tema-Akosombo railway project. It was Kufuor’s framework,” Mr Amewu clarified.

The Minister stressed that while the NDC government moved forward with procurement, the Akufo-Addo administration reviewed the plan upon taking office and recognized limitations, such as impacts on the Akosombo Dam.

As a result, Mr Amewu revealed “President Akufo-Addo insists on sending a rail line to every region in the country.”

He stated the government's decision to relocate the rail line into the Volta Region to serve more communities as part of broader ambitions “to decouple the role of a regulator from an operator.”