John Peter Amewu, the Minister for Railway Development, has stated that the government is committed to connecting railway networks with neighbouring nations.
The ambitious plans to modernize and expand the railway network throughout the ECOWAS region are on track, according to sector minister Peter Amewu.
He said that they have created feasibility studies to address the Trans-ECOWAS line, which goes directly from Lome to Ivory Coast, during the opening of the 2025 Africa Prosperity Dialogues in Accra.
He highlighted that a significant project for the African continent was the collaborative train initiative initiated by President Akufo Addo and his counterpart in Burkina Faso.
The proposed train route was intended to run from Tema through Mpakadan, the Volta region, Tamale, Paga, and onward to Burkina Faso. However, the project encountered an unfortunate setback due to a military takeover and subsequent change in the government of Burkina Faso.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the implementation of such projects presents challenges associated with Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Specifically, the project’s standalone viability gap was identified to exceed $1.2 billion.
He expressed confidence in the feasibility of a railway connection from Ghana to Nigeria, contingent upon the government addressing the viability gap. In conclusion, he articulated, “Given that we have already initiated a railway project to Burkina Faso, the prospect of establishing a railway link to Nigeria is undoubtedly viable. With the sustained expansion and substantial support, this endeavour can be realized.”
