An agreement has been signed between the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) and China Railway Wuju Group Corporation for the continuation of the development of a new Standard Gauge Western line.
The $500 million project would have both passenger and freight services.
Under this agreement, DGN Online is informed, the Manso through Tarkwa to Dunkwa section of the line which is approximately 100km would be developed.
The Kojokrom to Manso section being 22km was awarded to Messers Amandi in 2017 and is presently under construction.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Beijing, China, the Minister for Railways Development and leader of the Ghanaian delegation, Joe Ghartey, said before the British who colonized the Gold Coast left Ghana in 1957, they handed over a total railway network of 947km.
However by 2017, he says, less than 100km of the railway network was operational.
This, he said, showed the state of Ghana’s railway system.
Mr. Ghartey indicated that since the creation of the Ministry of Railways Development by President Akufo-Addo in 2017, it has started various works on sections of the railway line.
Mr. Ghartey further called on CRWJ to do its best to complete the first phase of the project within the one year time frame as indicated in the Agreement.
The Deputy General Manager of CRWJ Mr. Liu Yong was grateful for the opportunity.
He described the Contract to develop the Manso to Dunkwa section of the Western railway line as their biggest project in Ghana.
He assured the delegation that CRWJ would ensure that terms of the Agreement are complied with and fulfilled to the latter.
He added that the CRWJ would fully leverage its comprehensive strength and technical advantages to strengthen communication and bilateral ties between CR5 and the Government of Ghana to realize its vision of a modern railway network.
CRWJ has been on the Ghanaian market since 2007.
It has six subsidiaries presently conducting businesses in Ghana.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railway Development Authority, Richard Diedong Dombo signed the contract.
Present at the signing ceremony were Mr. Ghartey, Siisi Essuman-Ocran, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Railways Development and Sylvester Williams a Chief State Attorney at the Attorney General’s office.
Earlier, the Ghanaian delegation visited CRWJ’s project site in Beijing.
Source: GhanaWeb.
