Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, has disclosed that the Tema-Mpakadan railway line project will be completed by June 2020.
The 99-kilometre railway line stretches from Tema to Akosombo, with an extension to parts of the Volta Region, and will eventually end at Mpakadan.
Mr. Ghartey made this disclosure during the ministry’s enhanced monitoring programme as he led a team that visited the project site to ascertain progress of works so far.
The minister noted that completion of the Tema-Mpakadan railway line is significant as it marks the beginning of the Accra-Ougadougou line.
He said although the original designated route wherein the railway line was going to pass by had been changed, it will not affect the date of completion. “You can’t go to Ougadougou unless you cross the Volta Lake,” he said.
Yaw Owusu, Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), noted that as part of the railway lines extension to the Volta region, North Tongu to be specific, there will be passenger fleet lines for the first time.
He said the original line, which belongs to the railway authority, starts from 0-23.9 kilometre, explaining that those who have encroached on parts of the original lines will have their facilities demolished.
He said the 24 to 97 kilometres of acquisition areas the ministry has acquired, starting from Afienya to Mpakadan, are all new.
Meanwhile, the ministry has so far paid about 50 percent of the required crop compensation to appropriate owners. “We have three phases of compensations; crop compensation, land compensation, and structure compensation. By the end of June 2019, the Lands Commission will be able to complete valuation for the structure compensation,” he said.
Udai Veer Singh, Projects General Manager, said about 30 to 40 houses that were erected on the railway line at Sebrepor will be demolished to pave the way for construction of the line.
Bismarck Atta Koomson, a land-lord, said the Mayor of Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) has met land-lords in the area and promised government will compensate them so they should stay calm. The minister and his entourage visited the Tema, Afienya, and Doyumu projects sites.
BFT