Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Blay Nyameke Armah, has urged a comprehensive revisit of Ghana’s railway system to enhance economic development and reduce pressure on the country’s road infrastructure.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, July 29, he stressed that the frequent transportation of heavy goods such as timber, manganese, and bauxite by road was accelerating the deterioration of highways, especially in resource-rich regions.
Mr. Armah emphasised the urgent need to re-establish the railway link between the Western and Ashanti Regions, which once existed but has since broken down.
According to him, reviving that corridor would not only support the efficient movement of goods from the Takoradi Harbour but also significantly improve the economic prospects of Sekondi-Takoradi.
“If I am given the chance, I will re-network the rail system even in Accra. Because we can do trams. We can do a lot that will not involve massive money. I believe that the rail system in the Western Region needs to be connected, looking at the sort of goods that are brought to the harbour to be transported; manganese, bauxite, timber, they are heavy goods, and they deteriorate our roads very fast.
“If we are able to get this rail network through the Western Region to the Ashanti Region, which was there, that will help the economy of Sekondi Takoradi. Look at the number of coaches in one train,” he stated.
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