Africa-Press – Ghana. The erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government initiated the Tema to Akosombo (now Mpakadan) railway project as part of the country’s strategy to build a multi-modal transportation network to improve connectivity between the Tema Port and the northern parts of the country and beyond, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi has said.
He said the project was intended to improve the transportation of goods (not just passengers) such as cement, fuel products, and other cargos from the Tema Port to the northern parts of the country and to landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and vice versa.
To ensure the viability of the project, he said, the erstwhile NDC/Mahama government began engagements with the EXIM Bank of India for additional funds for the development of the Lake Volta Port at Akosombo.
This was intended to facilitate the easy transportation of cargos via the Volta Lake to and from the northern parts of the country and beyond, he added
“Sadly, the inept Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government upon assuming office, failed to follow through with the original vision behind the project,” he said in a statement on Friday, April 19.
“Aside delaying the project for several years, the government failed to secure funding for the development of the lake transportation leg of the project,” the statamenet added.
Below is the full statement…
TEMA-MPAKADAN RAILWAY PROJECT; A RAILWAY LINE TO NOWHERE
Only a government that suffers from a gratitude and credibility deficit like the ruling Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government can attempt to dispute this indisputable fact.
The Mills/Mahama/NDC government, acknowledged that the N1 Highway was the accomplishment of the Kufuor-led NPP government even though the entire work was virtually done during the tenure of Mills/Mahama. Similarly, the Mills/Mahama/NDC government did not take the credit for the construction of the Bui Dam even though their administration borrowed additional funds to see to the completion of the project. This mark of true leadership must be emulated by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government.
III) The Tema-Mpakadan railway project will undoubtedly ease traffic and facilitate the transportation of passengers in and around the often choked Afienya stretch. However, without the lake transportation leg of the original project concept, the viability of the project will be defeated thereby delaying the repayment of the loan for the project.
*The next NDC/Mahama government will revisit the original concept for this project, by putting in place a proper lake transport system for cargos to and from the Northern parts of the country, all the way to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.*
This is the surest way of making the Tema-Mpakadan railway line viable, for a quicker repayment of the loan facility for the project.
Source: 3News
For More News And Analysis About Ghana Follow Africa-Press
