Josiah
The first batch of modern trains, purpose-built in Poland for Ghanaian railway operations, has arrived at the Tema Port. This marks a significant milestone for Ghana’s transportation sector as these trains are designated for use on the newly constructed Tema-Mpakadan standard-gauge railway line.
The Tema-Mpakadan railway line, spanning 97 kilometers, promises to facilitate the movement of goods and people along Ghana’s Eastern Corridor. Additionally, it forms part of a broader project aimed at connecting Ouagadougou to the Port of Tema over a distance of 1000 kilometers, linking Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Yaw Owusu, CEO of the Ghana Railways Development Authority, highlighted the importance of a robust and efficient railway system for industrialization and economic growth during the handover ceremony in Poland. He expressed gratitude to the Polish manufacturer, PESA, for their support and stressed the benefits of fostering a long-term partnership between Ghana and PESA for future trade and maintenance.
These trains represent Ghana’s first standard-gauge rolling stock, engineered to operate seamlessly on both long-distance and regional routes. With proper and consistent maintenance, they are designed to remain operational for over 30 years. Ghana aims to extend the maintenance interval to ten years following the signing of a five-year agreement with PESA.
Under a comprehensive framework agreement, Ghana Railways and PESA have facilitated the acquisition of these modern trains, with the potential to order an additional 10 vehicles in the future. The deployment of these trains is expected to enhance passenger satisfaction, operational efficiency, and connectivity, thereby contributing to overall economic growth facilitated by the railway network.
Source:Omanghana.com
