AsaaseGhanaInfrastructureTransport

Government starts awarding railway contracts to local firms

Joe Ghartey, the Minister of Railways Development, tells Asaase Radio what the government is doing to increase local content as it expands Ghana’s train network

The government has begun moves to deepen participation by Ghanaian-owned firms in the railways sector in an effort to deepen local content.

In line with the plan of action, the Ministry of Railways Development has started to award contracts to local firms. This is a departure from practice of the past, under which railway contracts were given almost exclusively to foreign firms.

The Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, outlined the policy and described some of the projects to which the government is applying it in an interview on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (27 August).

He also spoke to Kojo Mensah and Nana Yaa Mensah about broad developments in the rail sector.

“We are trying to build separate rail lines between Sekondi-Takoradi and Kumasi,” Ghartey said. “We have signed a contract and we are going through the process of value for money. Hopefully we will be able to cut the sod this year.

Ghanaians lead

“The interesting thing about that contract is that, for the first time, Ghanaians are leading in this project. After four years we took a definite decision that Ghanaian companies should lead. We don’t mind if they work with foreign contractors,” the minister said.

“So, part of the railway revival included working with our local companies for them also to become railway people once again.

“I think we have done well. They rehabilitated two … lines and they also did the Tarkwa line quite well.”

The Akufo-Addo government established the Ministry of Railways Development in 2017 to help revive Ghana’s railway infrastructure and make the railways a preferred mode of transportation nationally. The ministry works in sync with the Ministry of Transport but is managed independently of it.

Professional skills

The Railways Minister, who serves as the MP for Essikado-Ketan in the Western Region, also announced that efforts are in hand to develop the skills base for the sector by establishing a training school.

“We signed up with UmaT [the University of Mines and Technology, in Tarkwa] to make it a tertiary institution and we have gone through the entire process. What is left is our accreditation. After that, we will get rolling.”

The railway training school, to be sited in Sekondi-Takoradi, will offer courses in engineering and related skills.

Fred Dzakpata

* Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
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