The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Sammy Adu Gyamfi, has indicated that the erstwhile NDC government, led by former President H.E. John Dramani Mahama, initiated the Tema to Akosombo (now Mpakadan) railway project.
He noted that the project was 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 NDC Communicator further stated that the project was intended to improve the transportation of passengers and goods such as cement, fuel products, and other cargos from the Tema Port to the northern parts of the country and landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and vice versa.
“Pursuant to this vision, the erstwhile NDC/Mahama government in November 2016, secured funding to the tune of $398 million from the EXIM Bank of India for the design and construction of an 84km railway line from Tema to the Lake Volta Port of Akosombo. Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals for the facility were secured before the NDC left office”
Sammy Adu Gyamfi, NDC Communications Officer
Furthermore, he noted that there is evidence of the US$ 398.33 million grants awarded to the government by the Exim Bank for the 84km Tema-Akosombo railway line on every media platform that captured the event, urging the public to read the article published on it by Railway Technology.
Mr. Sammy Gyamfi also stated that to ensure the viability of the project, 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.
The fund, the NDC Communicator claimed, was intended to facilitate the easy transportation of cargos through the Volta Lake to and from the northern parts of the country and beyond.
He noted, however, that the “inept” Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led NPP government upon assuming office, failed to follow through with the original vision behind the project.
He further alleged that, aside from delaying the project for several years, the government failed to secure funding for the development of the lake transportation leg of the project.
NPP’s Contribution To The Project
Moreover, Mr. Sammy Adu Gyamfi stated that the only addition made to the railway in question by the incumbent government is to extend the original 84km railway line by 13km from Akosombo to Mpakadan for some technical considerations.
He indicated that the government had secured additional funding of US $48 million for the extension.
He clarified that the Volta Lake Port at Akosombo was supposed to be developed to allow for the lake transportation of cargos to and from the northernmost parts of the country while noting that Mpakadan has no port.
He argued that by extending the rail to Mpakadan, the incumbent government has neglected the Lake project in the last eight years that they have been in office.
As such, the NDC Communicator pointed out that the Tema-Mpakadan railway line can only transport passengers from Tema through Afienya, North Tongu, and Lower Manya Krobo to Mpakadan.
He argued that though the new project will ease traffic on the Afienya stretch, the project is not viable without the lake transportation of cargos from the Tema port to the northern part of Ghana and vice versa
“In short, the original intention of the NDC/Mahama government to build the Tema to Akosombo (now Mpakadan) railway line, to improve connectivity between Tema Port and the country’s northern region, has been abandoned by the visionless Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government. This defeats the main purpose and viability of the railway project and renders it, a railway to nowhere”.
Sammy Adu Gyamfi, NDC Communications Officer
Moreover, he claimed that The Tema to Akosombo (now Mpakadan) railway project, is a legacy of the NDC-Mahama government, which secured funding for 84km of the project in November 2016.
“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” – Sammy Gyamfi
As such he noted that, unlike the incumbent NPP government, the Mills-Mahama 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.
He added that the Mills-Mahama government did not take 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 government”, he added.
As such, the NDC Communicator assured that the next NDC government will revisit the original concept for the project, by putting in place a proper lake transport system for transporting cargos to and from the Northern parts of the country and 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”, he stated
