President Mahama Orders Railway Extension from Tema Port to Dawa Industrial Enclave to Boost Cargo and Jobs Amid Labor Talks
President John Dramani Mahama has instructed the Ministry of Transport to fast-track the extension of the railway line from Tema Port to the Dawa Industrial Enclave in Greater Accra, aiming to streamline cargo transport and worker mobility while awaiting the Mpakadan Inland Port’s completion on the Volta Lake.
The directive, issued during a high-level meeting with organized labor leaders, underscores Mahama’s push to revitalize Ghana’s rail infrastructure for economic growth.
The proposed route will not only ferry goods from the bustling Tema Port—handling 70% of Ghana’s imports—to the burgeoning Dawa zone but also shuttle workers from nearby Ashaiman, alleviating traffic woes on the N1 highway and fostering industrial efficiency in the enclave, a 5,000-hectare hub projected to create 50,000 jobs by 2030 through partnerships with investors like Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining.
“This line should be executed and operationalized to facilitate the transportation of cargo… and workers,” Mahama emphasized, signaling a bridge between maritime and inland logistics to cut costs and emissions in Ghana’s $2.5 billion logistics sector.
The order emerged from discussions with Trades Union Congress (TUC) Secretary General Joshua Asante, addressing rail workers’ salary arrears—stemming from legacy debts under the prior administration. Mahama pledged to brief Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson for immediate allocations, while approving the transfer of over 100 railway staff from the Western Region to man the Tema-Mpakadan line, with retirees receiving fair compensation. He further mandated that dismantling old tracks be handled by railway workers, with salvaged metals recycled directly at factories to generate revenue and jobs.
TUC’s Asante hailed the “proactive and prompt response,” crediting Mahama’s engagement for easing tensions in a sector plagued by underfunding—Ghana’s rail network, once a 947-km colonial marvel, now spans just 160 km of operational lines, per 2024 Ministry of Transport reports.af36f4 Attendees included Presidential Aide Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe, Labour Minister Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, and Ghana Railway Development Authority CEO Dr. Frederick Appoh.
Social media buzzed with mixed reactions: supporters like @CitizenTechiman praised the move as a “strategic boost for development,” while critics, including @nborti_, questioned the feasibility without budgets, tweeting, “How do you give directives without a contract? We need action.”
This initiative aligns with Mahama’s 24-hour economy blueprint, potentially unlocking $1 billion in annual trade efficiencies, but faces hurdles like land acquisition and funding amid Ghana’s $45 billion debt restructuring.
