The government of Ghana has commissioned the 97km Tema-Mpakadan standard-gauge railway (SGR) line running from the Port of Tema in the country’s southeast up north to Mpakadan.

It is the country’s first SGR line and runs through the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions, providing an intermodal transport route across the Volta River via a 300-metre bridge, said to be the first of its kind in Africa.

India’s Afcons Infrastructure began work in 2017 on the single-track line, which has a total length of 112km and includes eight stations, four major bridges, 11 road overpasses, 24 road underpasses, rail head facilities, freight yards and a maintenance depot.

The Tema-Mpakadan project was financed through a US$447 million credit facility from Exim Bank of India.

The government has also taken delivery of two new diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains for passenger operations on the route, funded by a credit facility from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).

The Tema-Mpakadan line is set to link the Port of Tema to the Volta lake transport network, opening up the lake for the transportation of fuel, cement, container cargo and agricultural produce from the northern enclave in the Afram plains to the port and other destinations. The line is also expected to reduce the pressure on Ghana’s road network, especially in the Eastern corridor.

The Tema-Mpakadan line comprises the first phase of the country’s Eastern corridor railway development, which is planned to interlink with Burkina Faso and the other land-locked countries of Mali and Niger. The next phase will see the line traverse up north to Nkwanta, Tendi and Tamale to Paga on the border with Burkina Faso across about 701km.  

At Paga, the railway is expected to connect to Dakola in Burkina Faso and run for 320km to end at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital city.

The Tema-Mpakadan railway is part of Ghana’s railway masterplan 2020-35, which aims to rehabilitate or build a 3,844km rail network linking the capital cities of the country’s 16 regions and all industrial towns and hubs by 2035.

The masterplan envisages rail transport facilitating the movement of goods such as bauxite, manganese and cocoa to various ports and processing hubs as well as transporting passengers to various cities in the country.

The masterplan has been staggered in phases by region and has an overall estimated investment cost of US$30 billion.

Currently, the government is working on the line connecting the Takoradi port to Huni Valley over 102km, with work including the upgrade of the existing railway infrastructure to standard gauge.

Ghana-based Amandi Investment is executing the project, which is being financed by the government as well as an estimated €523 million (US$548.6 million) export credit facility from Sweden’s EKN along with a five-year commercial loan of around €75.6 million. The overall scheme is expected to be completed by May 2026.

The government is also financing the construction of a new 6km SGR line from Kaase to Adum in Kumasi on the northern part of the Western railway. Work is being undertaken by the local David Walter Limited on the scheme, which is aimed at addressing congestion issues in the Central Business District, particularly between Adum and Kaase.

In September 2020, the government signed a contract with Afcons Infrastructure for a 65km SGR line running from Eduadin to Obuasi, with an investment cost of US$419 million. The contract duration is set at 36 months and the project is said to be awaiting financial close.

Meanwhile, discussions are underway between the government and Exim Bank of India on a US$265.2 million loan for the development of a new SGR line running from Accra to Nsawam over 43km as part of the Eastern railway. India’s KEC International is lined up to execute the scheme.

The authorities are also looking to secure funding for other sections of the Eastern railway, namely those running between Nsawam through Bosuso to Kyebi and Bosuso to Kumasi, as well as the Ejisu-Eduadin and Achimota-Tema branch lines.

Top photo: Tema-Mpakadan railway (Source: Ghana Railway Development Authority)