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President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry of Transport to begin immediate processes toward extending the Tema Port railway line to the Dawa Industrial Enclave in the Greater Accra Region.
The move, he said, forms part of efforts to enhance cargo transportation efficiency and support the government’s industrialisation drive while preparations for the completion of the Mpakadan Inland Port on the Volta Lake continue.
Speaking during a meeting with organised labour, led by the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, President Mahama said the new rail connection will serve a dual purpose — easing the movement of goods from Tema Port to the Dawa Industrial Enclave and providing a convenient transport option for workers commuting from the Ashaiman area to the enclave.
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“While awaiting the completion of the Mpakadan Inland Port, the Tema–Dawa Industrial Enclave Railway line should be executed and operationalised to facilitate cargo movement and worker transportation,” the President stated.
He further announced that the Minister for Finance will be briefed on the concerns of railway workers, particularly regarding salary arrears, to ensure budgetary allocations are made to clear all outstanding payments.
The President also revealed that, following recommendations from the Minister for Transport, over a hundred railway workers from the Western Region will be transferred to Tema to support the management of the Tema–Mpakadan railway line. Retiring workers, he assured, will receive fair and timely compensation.
Touching on the rehabilitation and dismantling of old rail tracks, President Mahama directed that the task be handled solely by railway workers, with recovered metal materials sent directly to local factories for recycling to promote circular industrial practices.
TUC Secretary-General Joshua Ansah expressed appreciation for the President’s swift and pragmatic intervention, describing the directive as “a clear demonstration of leadership that prioritises workers’ welfare and national development.”
Also present at the meeting were Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Minister for Transport Joseph Bukari Nikpe, Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railway Development Authority, Dr Frederick Appoh.
The proposed Tema–Dawa railway extension forms part of Ghana’s broader transportation and industrial development plan aimed at positioning the Dawa Industrial Enclave as a key logistics and manufacturing hub in West Africa.
