GRDA Wins €20m Grant to Modernise Tema-Mpakadan Railway Signalling System
The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) has secured a €20 million grant to improve the signalling system on the Tema–Mpakadan railway line, with the project expected to be completed by December 2027.
The Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Frederick Appoh, disclosed this during a media engagement in Accra, explaining that the upgrade would make it possible for multiple trains to operate along the corridor.
He said the current signalling arrangement has placed restrictions on railway operations, limiting the movement of trains along the line.
However, the introduction of the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level One is expected to address the challenge by allowing trains to travel in both directions through designated crossing points.
Dr Appoh expressed confidence that the installation would be completed within the proposed timeline.
“By December 2027, I am confident that the signal system will be installed, the ETCS Level 1 will be installed on Tema to Mpakadan line,” he said.
He attributed the successful acquisition of the funding to joint efforts by the GRDA board, the Ministry of Transport, the Authority’s management and its partners from the European Union.
According to him, Ghana had to compete with several countries, including other African states, before securing the financial support.
“It’s a grant, and we competed fiercely with other countries, including African countries, for that grant,” he stated.
Describing the funding as an important breakthrough for the Authority, Dr Appoh noted that railway infrastructure goes beyond tracks and trains, as signalling and command control systems are equally necessary for safe and efficient operations.
He explained that the Tema–Mpakadan railway corridor has three crossing points which will enable trains moving in opposite directions to pass each other once the new signalling system becomes operational.
Meanwhile, the GRDA CEO announced that container freight operations on the line began in late September after the successful completion of several technical assessments and tests.
He said the preparations included factory acceptance testing, evaluations of the carrying capacity of the rolling stock and compatibility checks to ensure that the trains could operate effectively on the railway infrastructure.
Dr Appoh said the necessary compatibility assessments had been conducted over a three-month period before the Authority commenced commercial freight services.
“Compatibility test has also been done for the past three months, and we commenced the revenue service in September of this year, late September,” he said.
He clarified that the new container transportation service differs from previous freight activities on the Western Railway line, which mainly involved the movement of commodities such as timber and manganese.
He further disclosed that another locomotive is expected to arrive by December this year to strengthen the Authority’s operational capacity.
Dr Appoh said the GRDA was also collaborating with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Maersk Logistics to transport containers and ease congestion at the Tema Port.
He explained that the partnership was helping to improve the movement of goods from the port through rail transportation.
“Ghana Railway Authority, working with our sister company GPHA, we are helping to decongest the port,” he said.
The GRDA chief executive praised the port authorities and logistics partners for their cooperation and encouraged journalists to visit the railway’s operational sites to observe activities firsthand.
He particularly urged media practitioners to visit during the early hours of the morning to appreciate the level of work being undertaken.
“Go at 3 a.m., 4 a.m., go and see them working, and you can see that the 24-hour economy is in full operation over there as well,” he said.
Despite the progress made, Dr Appoh admitted that the railway sector was still experiencing financial challenges and had not fully recovered.
He said the Authority was currently focused on sustaining its operations but remained optimistic that the situation would improve in the coming months.
“We are still at the place where we are trying to survive. But I’m confident that in the coming months, things will change and the railway sector will start walking back into life,” he said.
He added that management would continue to identify and implement feasible improvements based on the financial resources available to the sector.
“We will continue, you know, looking at what can be done within the fiscal space we find ourselves in,” he stated.
Dr Appoh also expressed confidence in the future of Ghana’s railway industry, pointing to the commitment of the GRDA board and the support it receives from management and staff.
“I am confident in what the board wants to do. I am also confident in the support that we are getting from the management and the staff, and I am confident of the future of Ghana Railways,” he said.
