Tema-Mpakadan Rail Stalls: Delays Rock Key Project
Tema-Mpakadan Railway Project Stalls: Six Months After Launch, Operations Yet to Begin
Six months after its November 22, 2024, opening, the eagerly awaited Tema-Mpakadan railway line is still not operational, upsetting stakeholders and travelers who had hoped for better transit throughout Ghana’s Eastern Corridor. The 97.7-kilometer standard gauge line, which was inaugurated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was hailed as a game-changing infrastructure undertaking.
It was anticipated that the US$447 million railway, which was financed by a credit facility from India’s Export-Import Bank, would improve passenger and freight transportation while clearing traffic and stimulating the economy.
At key areas like Tema Port, Ashaiman, Afienya, Shai Hills, Doryumu, Adome, and Mpakadan, the railway has contemporary stations. The Ghana–Burkina Faso interconnectivity project, which aims to improve logistics between Tema Port and inland ports in northern areas and bordering landlocked nations like Niger and Burkina Faso, also includes a 300-meter bridge that spans the Volta River near Senchi.
However, a number of difficulties have prevented operations from starting even though the infrastructure is in place. The rail infrastructure has been severely damaged by theft and vandalism, but 75% of the damage has reportedly been repaired thanks to efforts led by the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, according to Dr. Frederick Appoh, Acting CEO of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA).
The absence of private sector participation is another significant obstacle. The current state-run approach is ineffective and unable to produce enough money, Dr. Appoh underlined. In order to draw in private operators, he said that GRDA is developing a “open access model” that will specify track access fees and operational procedures.
In order to attract investor interest, a market-sounding exercise is scheduled for June 2025. Full commercial operations are anticipated to start by June 20, 2026. Many locals, particularly in the areas along the corridor, are disappointed by the delay since they were hoping for speedier travel times, cheaper transit, and more business prospects. Referencing the economic impact of Kenya’s Nairobi-Mombasa railway, which supported local industries and provided thousands of employment, Dr. Appoh expresses optimism about the project’s long-term prospects.
Notwithstanding the setbacks and early warning indicators, such as a test-run collision between a train and a truck in April 2024, GRD is concentrated on completing operating protocols to promote private involvement and guarantee the railway develops into a long-lasting component of Ghana’s transportation network. This circumstance emphasizes how urgently state institutions and the private sector must work together effectively in order to fully reap the rewards of major infrastructure investments in Ghana.
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