Govt moves to engage private sector partner

The government has initiated moves to engage a private sector partner to assist in the execution of the Boankra Inland Port and the Eastern Railway line projects.

As a first step, it has engaged the services of Price Waterhouse Coopers, an international consulting firm, to advise it on a public private partnership (PPP) option and help it to determine the private sector partner to collaborate with to put the two projects into effect.

The Minster of Transport, Ms Dzifa Attivor, stated this in Parliament last  Tuesday when she appeared on the floor of the House to answer a question filed by the Member of Parliament for Nsawam - Adoagyiri, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

Mr Annoh-Dompreh wanted to know what the ministry was doing to revamp the Accra - Nsawam railway line.

One project

Ms Attivor said the Nsawam railway line formed part of the Eastern Railway Line (ERL) and added that the ERL and the construction of the Boankra Inland Port had been put together as one project.

She said a consultant had completed feasibility studies on the ERL and was putting together the request for proposal for bidding.

"Basic maintenance works continue to be carried out by the Ghana Railway Company Limited to ensure safety of operations on the line.  About 1,195 wooden sleepers and 200 steel sleepers have been changed this year," she said.

Nsawam section

The Minister said while waiting for the project to commence, the ministry had taken the initiative to speed up the  revamping of the Accra- Nsawam section of the line.

In that regard,  she indicated,  the Ministry had engaged Team Engineering as a consultant to engage in the front- end engineering design for that section of the line.

She said the design was nearing completion, adding that the construction of the line would begin as soon as funds became available.