According to the President, the move will involve the construction of new railway lines and the extension of some existing lines to facilitate movement of passengers and goods.

Mr. Akufo Addo made the disclosure when he presented the State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Thursday, February 8, 2018.

In his view, a modern and reliable network of roads, railway and airport will transform the country.

“We are in the final stages of agreeing with a significant investor, the terms of a Build, Operate & Transfer (BOT) agreement from Takoradi to Kumasi which will be presented to Parliament this year. There is already a contractor onsite for the construction of the Kojokrom to Menso section of the Takoradi to Kumasi railway,” the President told Legislators.

The development of the rail infrastructure has been one of the critical issues on the agenda of the NPP administration.

The persistent issues of unpaid arrears have led to the halt in operations intermittently.

But the sector Minister, Joe Ghartey has commenced processes to settle all outstanding debts and attract new investors for the sector.

Parliament approves GH¢200m tax waiver for railway lines

The President’s announcement also comes at a time that Parliament has approved about 200 million cedis in tax waivers for the construction of an 84 kilometer multi-modal railway line between Tema and Akosombo.

When completed, the railway project will facilitate movement from Tema to Buipe through Akosombo.

Citi Business News is also learning that the rail line comprises rail stations between Tema and Akosombo and the construction of railway heads at Tema and Akosombo.

Meanwhile, the President maintains that the government is engaging consultants on the proposed railway line between Kumasi and Paga.

“The process has also commenced to select a suitable partner for the construction of the eastern line from Accra to Tema to Kumasi; we aim to break grounds this year. A central spine from Kumasi to Paga is also receiving attention and consultants have been engaged to advise government on the best model for the development of the line,” he added.

Ghana-Burkina Faso rail line to complete by 2018 3^rd quarter

Commenting on the progress of work on the Ghana Burkina Faso railway line, Nana Akufo Addo was confident of completing the process by the end of the year.

“With reference to the Ghana Burkina Faso rail interconnectivity, the two countries are in earnest discussions as to the realisation of the project. There are fortnightly meetings either in Accra or Ouagadougou and we are confident that the deliberations will conclude and actual construction will commence by the third quarter of the year,” he stressed.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

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According to the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) the amount is needed to procure new coaches, refurbish existing lines and construct additional 4,007.6 kilometers of railway lines across the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of GRDA, Mr. Richard Diedong Dombo, who disclosed this to the Graphic Business newspaper, said the authority has decided to market the railway sector master plan to attract investors under a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) arrangement.

[contextly_sidebar id=”U9ULsJ6vqzrZBgmgZEr1Z933S339rQq4″]“The nation does not have the resources to undertake this master plan in one stretch. As a country, we cannot prioritize just the railway sector as there are other priorities such as health, education and agricultural so the railway sector gets just a slice of the national resources and this means we have to think outside the box, which is government funding,” he said.

The Akufo-Addo government promised to revamp the rail sector and also created a new ministry dedicated to ensuring that the promised is fulfilled.

Mr. Dombo said although his outfit had not requested for interests they have so far received proposals from more than 230 investors comprising of individuals, groups, and banks across the globe.

About the master plan

The railway master plan which was completed in 2013, proposes a new railway network comprising of 4,007.6 kilometers across the country.

The master plan is expected to be completed in six phases, with the first phase being the rehabilitation of existing rail lines.

The second phase will deal with the extension of the central corridor, whilst the third phase will tackle the extension of the transversal links.

While the fourth phase will look at extending the trans-ECOWAS line, the fifth phase will aim at extending the western line. The sixth phase is also expected to help extend the eastern line.

Western rail line will be completed by 2020 – Joe Ghartey

In a related development, the Minister for Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, has assured that before the end of President Akufo-Addo’s mandate in 2020, the rehabilitation and construction of the Western rail line would be completed.

“We have already started the design of the Western Rail line from Kojokrom to Tarkwa. The transportation of bauxite from Awaso has been incorporated into the design,” he noted at a durbar of Chiefs and people at Bibiani on Monday.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Minister for Railways Development revealed that over 200 companies so far, from countries like the United States of America, Switzerland, Germany, China and Ghana, have shown interest in the development of Ghana’s railways, and have submitted proposals to this effect.

[contextly_sidebar id=”cNhX3WXsn8L1m3wITdDrpsXPljtw0XO8″]The selection of the companies who will undertake the rehabilitation and construction of the Western rail line, Hon. Joe Ghartey added, will be done in accordance with the tenets of competitive bidding to ensure value-for-money.

“We have already started the design of the Western Rail line from Kojokrom to Tarkwa. The transportation of bauxite from Awaso has been incorporated into the design,” he noted at a durbar of Chiefs and people at Bibiani held in honour of the President Akufo-Addo, at the commencement of his tour of the Western Region.

The Minister for Railways noted that one of the tragedies of Ghana’s post-colonial development was the neglect of the country’s railways.

“One of the things our country should have focused on was the development of its railway. Railways bring jobs, development, and uplifts communities. Ghana’s railway system has collapsed,” he said.

The Minister continued, “President Akufo-Addo, through the establishment of the Ministry of Railways Development, has indicated that he wants to revive the railway sector and has put persons from the Western Region to take charge of it. We will not disappoint. We will surely deliver”.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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President Nana Akufo-Addo said the protracted chieftaincy problem and other related matters was having serious effect on Aboakyer festival and was retarding progress in the Winneba township.

These were contained in a speech read on behalf of the President by Mr Joe Ghartey, Minister for Railways, at the durbar of Chiefs and people of Effutu Traditional Area to climax their annual celebration of Aboakyer festival in Winneba.

President Nana Akufo-Addo said the committee would comprise prominent members of the society.

He said the festival which has local and international recognition is fast losing its cultural value hence the need to halt the decline.

The Tuafo Asafo company which went to the hunting expedition alone without Dentsifo No 2  Asafo company came up with  their first catch  at 0950 hrs.

President Nana Akufo-Addo said all promises made to the Effutu Traditional Area during 2016 electioneering campaign would be fulfilled to speed up developmental programmes.

Mr Kwamena Duncan, Central Regional Minister, called on the Forestry Commission to protect the forest habitats for the game used for the festival.

Neenyi Kobena Gharty VII, Omanhene of Effutu traditional area, said the Aboakyer festival is special cultural event and appealed to the state to allow the celebration of Aboakyer festival without any hindrance.

He appealed to the Ministers of State and members of boards of government institutions to develop useful policies and programmes to meet the socio-economic needs of the population.

President Nana Akufo-Addo presented GHC 5,000 and cartons of assorted drinks to the Effutu Traditional authorities towards the celebration of Aboakyer festival.

–
Source: GNA

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The report is expected to explain the circumstances surrounding the scandal, and make some recommendations on the way forward on the issue, which many say has dented the image of the House.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5PKPPNq1VIvZyRDCT7kQl893dqnN97ku”]Speaking to Citi News’ Richard Dela Sky ahead of the reading of the report to Parliament Thursday evening, Mr. Ghartey insisted that the report can be trusted, since no one attempted interfering with the work of the committee.

He further revealed that, the committee took the painstaking effort to go through a very transparent process to arrive at its conclusions

“If I didn’t not think that it was credible, I would not have put it out. We have gone through a very transparent process and we have come to conclusions, having debated it thoroughly. I can tell you that two days ago, we met and we worked till morning and we argued each line. We never came to a conclusion that we have to vote. We tried to work with unanimity, where we had different opinions we stated it and we found a way around it. We disagreed on a lot of things.”

“.. I think with the nature of our work, it is important that we have some kind of insulation and I can say that nobody in this legislature tried to influence us in anyway. We have been meeting overnight. Even yesterday we met till 12.o clock. We found a very democratic process and I want to thank the members of my team. In the beginning I said to them that this was a serious matter and we must maintain the integrity of this House.”

Report to be debated

Members of Parliament will be given the opportunity to debate the report, according to Mr. Ghartey.

He was however unable to tell the specific time the debate will take off.

“Whether it will be debated today or tomorrow I don’t know. After we present the report, it is debated and they agree. There is flexibility. We are making recommendations.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The Chairman of the group , Aaron Abdul Rahman, who made the appeal on Eyewitness News, said the disclosure of details of the report will boost the confidence of Ghanaians and the international community in the country’s institutions.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7T1Zx8ZS3fRNHuM8SKWXrAhmrrc0IqAb”]”We are worried that such an allegation, if not well precipitated and their findings made public, will have some negative repercussions on our country. We are therefore asking that we publish the report for the international community to know the details and for that matter the truth.”

The group in a separate statement issued earlier, explained that the report when published, will also ensure what it called “objective analysis.”

“The final content of the report if made public for all stakeholders to have access to it, will aid us to do an objective analysis as to whether or not, objectivity can be cited in the entire report considering the information we have at hand already.”

“Though the fashion of interrogation vis-à-vis the questioning mode and personality posturing of persons at both the Committee level and some of the witnesses gave a lot of reasons for observers to be worried of what is expected of the report, we still reckon that, the final content of the report if made public for all stakeholders to have access to it, will aid us to do an objective analysis.”

A five-member committee was set up to look into allegations that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, bribed some members of the Appointments Committee to ensure his approval as a minister.

Discussions on the report, which has been laid before Parliament upon the advice of the Committee’s Chairman will take place today ‘

[Thursday].

The statement from the group is below

The Manager,
Tamale Branch,

March 29, 2017.

JOE GHARTEY COMMITTEE REPORT ON ALLEGED BRIBERY SCANDAL SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC

Quite skeletal information gathered from the media points to the readiness of the Joe Ghartey Committee to release the final report on the bribery scandal as alleged against parliament house of Ghana’s Republic today, March 29, 2017 which coincidentally falls on the birthday and exact day (Wednesday) of President of Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Ado Danquah Akuffo-Addo; we take this opportunity to wish our President a Happy Birthday.

It important to recall that, the Committee was caused to investigate the alleged bribery scandal that hit the august house during the vetting of Mr. Boakye Agyarko, now known as the Hon. Minister of Energy by no mean a person, but a member of the august house in the person of Hon. Mahama Ayariga.

Some Civil Society Organisations in the likes of African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) have already mounted doubts over the possible objectivity expected of the Joe Ghartey Committee’s Report but we of Public Interest Advocacy Group (PIAG) hold a different view. PIAG believes that, it is too early yet to begin to cast doubts over the possible objectivity of the expected report. As honuourable as the Committee members are, we anticipate with the greatest respect that, they will do a good job that will indemnify the august house of its lost notional image in the eyes observers in Ghana’s public gallery and other stakeholders including the international community.

Though the fashion of interrogation vis-à-vis the questioning mode and personality posturing of persons at both the Committee level and some of the witnesses gave a lot of reasons for observers to be worried of what is expected of the report, but we still reckon that, the final content of the report if made public for all stakeholders to have access to it, will aid us to do an objective analysis as to whether or not, objectivity can be cited in the entire report considering the information we have at hand already.

With the greatest respect once again, we of the Public Interest Advocacy Group (PIAG) call on the leadership of our august house to facilitate with adequate speed, all processes leading to making the Joe Ghartey Committee Report on the bribery scandal that was alleged to have hit Ghana’s Parliamentary House. We will continue to believe that, on the practice of accountable democracy, Ghana will continue to be the beacon of hope of Africa and for that under no circumstance should her image be dented through her parliament house with such a serious alleged scandal.

We will continue to collaborate with Government, other Civil Society Organisations, Stakeholders and the international community to ensure that, Ghana’s image in the face of the practice of accountable democracy is not tampered with in favour of any personal or parochial interest or gains.

Abdul-Rahaman A.
(EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the Acting Director of Public Affairs of Parliament, Kate Addo, the information was captured in the business statement for the House last Friday.

[contextly_sidebar id=”U73i2jYViVnQCzanm5ThMVNmq0HleJUM”]“The committee chairman had indicated that the committee will lay its report on Wednesday and it was contained in the business statement that was read on the floor on Friday. So we are expecting that on Wednesday the committee will lay its report,” she added.

The Joe Ghartey led Committee reportedly rounded off its work by taking evidence from three more witnesses.

The five-member Committee was set up following allegations that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko bribed some members of the Appointments Committee.

The Energy Minister has since denied the allegations against him.

Joe Ghartey committee’s report won’t be objective – ACEPA

In a related development, the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) is skeptical over the objectivity of the outcome of committee’s report.

According to a senior associate of ACEPA, Tuinese Amuzu, questions that were posed to witnesses who appeared before the committee were too skewed in a certain way that did not tell the entire story of what transpired.

Speaking at a multi-stakeholder forum on strengthening responsiveness to corruption-related incidents, Amuzu said “the posture of the committee is as a result of the kind of training that members of the committee had. So we are all brought up into a system that say, if you are coming into this committee there are rules by which you should come. We should be more interested in the substantive matter, and coming to the bottom of it.”

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This is according to a statement signed by acting Director of Public Affairs of Parliament, Kate Addo.

[contextly_sidebar id=”892L69gMGa8Y9pRFtpAiIwCWoKmwGBnp”]The statement further revealed that the Committee rounded off its work with evidence from three more witnesses.

The release of the report delayed after a Member of the House applied to provide fresh evidence on the matter to the Committee.

This was after the Committee was just about to wrap up on its investigations.

The second Deputy Majority Whip, Matthew Nyindam, who had earlier confirmed the development to Citi News, said although the deadline for the submission of the report was due, the Committee would still have to take the evidence of the interested party to prevent suspicion of bias.

“We met last week on a business issue and I raised that issue with the majority leader, and I asked him when this Joe Ghartey thing will be ready, because the public is interested, we are also interested as a house because it is an alleged issue and we all have to clear it. According to the leader, a member said he has some kind of evidence to tender in so they have to hold on for him to bring it so that it doesn’t look like somebody is fighting against the other.”

Various civil society groups and individuals are mounting pressure on the committee to release the report on the matter which many say, has dented the image of the legislative body.

Dr. Rashid Raman, the Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs, has said that the longer the delay in the release of the report, the more likely Ghanainas will doubt the accuracy of the findings when eventually published.

The 5-member Committee was set up following allegations that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, bribed some members of the Appointments Committee.

–

By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The once productive sector on which some economies including that of Sekondi and Takoradi were built has since the late 90s lost its glory in the transportation industry.

[contextly_sidebar id=”l5BG0tF9Cmdk1QPFFpS6BbUx82q3j2Jt”]While many of the locomotive engines have broken down, hundreds of kilometers of railway lines have been also taken over by squatters and encroachers.

Speaking at the maiden national executive council meeting of the railway workers union, the Minister for railway development assured that “…the best times are yet to come.”

“We are going to transform this sector. The railway will form the backbone of Ghana’s economic transformation. It will lead us from a lower middle income country to a developed country.”

Mr. Ghartey who is also the Member of Parliament for the Essikadu/Ketan constituency in the Western Region further called on the railway workers union to support his ministry to ensure the revival of the rail sector.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, he does not believe he is in a conflict of interest position being chairman of the investigative committee, having subjected himself to vetting by the same Appointments Committee that has been smeared by the bribery scandal.

[contextly_sidebar id=”XSuhrNtLJEASCACnh7faRNL3gcVOsvlV”]At the commencement of proceedings to investigate the matter, Joe Ghartey, said “there is a question of conflict of interest of members of the committee as members of parliament investigating their own members and conflict of interest of the chairman who appeared before the Appointments committee. I don’t see any conflict of interest.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t agree with those who think that my sitting as chairman poses a conflict of interest and therefore will not recuse myself,” Joe Ghartey said.

 ‘Constitution of ad-hoc committee’

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye with the approval of the leadership of both sides of the House last month, constituted the ad-hoc committee to investigate the bribery allegation brought before the House by the Member of Parliament for Bekwai and Chairman of the Appointments Committee who had been accused of being a conduit for giving some MPs on his committee GH¢ 3,000 each as bribe to approve the nomination of the Energy minister, Boakye Agyarko.

The members of the committee include, the MP for Offinso South, Ben Abdallah; MP for Juaben, Ama Pomaah Boateng; MP for Talensi  and MP for Yilo Krobo Magnus Kofi Amoateng.

It has Joe Ghartey, the Member of Parliament for Essikado-Kentan, who’s also the Minister for Railways Development as Chairman.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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