The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) has secured a €20 million grant from the European Union to upgrade the signalling and train control system on the Tema–Mpakadan railway line.
The Authority says the intervention will address limitations in the existing signalling infrastructure, which currently restricts the frequency of train movements along the 97-kilometre railway corridor.
Speaking on the development projects by the Authority during a press engagement, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), Dr. Frederick Appoh said the grant was secured through collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, the Authority’s Board and its European Union counterparts, following competition with other countries, including African nations.
The project will involve the installation of the European Train Control System Level 1, with the Authority targeting December 2027 for completion.
The new signalling system is expected to allow multiple trains to operate simultaneously, including trains travelling in opposite directions, while safely managing movements at the three branch-line intersections along the corridor.
According to the Authority, the upgraded system could accommodate up to nine train movements within an hour, allowing departures at intervals of approximately 10 minutes, subject to operational conditions.
Dr. Frederick Appoh also disclosed that the railway line is currently operating at only about 20 per cent of its potential capacity, with limited train movements restricting the full utilisation of the infrastructure.
The Authority is hopeful that the signalling upgrade will increase capacity to at least four train slots, representing about 50 per cent utilisation, and pave the way for more frequent passenger and freight services.
The €20 million grant is expected to complement the government’s investment in the railway corridor, which cost approximately $440 million to develop.
“I’m happy to announce that working with the board, the Ministry of Transport, as well as the management of GRDA, and now our EU counterpart, Ghana Railway Authority managed to secure a 20-million-euro grant.
“We competed fiercely with other countries, including African countries, for that grant. And we have been awarded a grant of 20 million euros to do the resignaling of Tema-Mpakadan line” he said.
SOURCE: CNR
