The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) has opened the Tema–Mpakadan Railway Line to qualified private sector operators under a new Open Access Model, allowing private companies to use the railway to transport goods and cargo.
The initiative is aimed at increasing the productive use of Ghana’s railway infrastructure while providing businesses with an alternative and more efficient means of transporting goods across the country.
Under the new model, eligible private operators will be able to access the railway network to move cargo, a development expected to boost trade, reduce transportation costs and ease pressure on Ghana’s road network.
The move is also expected to create opportunities for greater private sector participation and investment in the country’s railway sector.
The opening of the Tema–Mpakadan line to private operators is being viewed as a significant step towards leveraging rail infrastructure to support economic activity, improve the movement of goods and strengthen Ghana’s logistics and transport systems.
The initiative has been welcomed as part of President John Dramani Mahama’s broader vision of resetting the Ghanaian economy through strategic investments in infrastructure and increased private sector participation.
Supporters of the policy say putting the railway infrastructure to productive use will help businesses operate more efficiently, create jobs and contribute to economic growth.
The GRDA’s Open Access Model therefore represents a shift towards a more commercially driven railway system, where private sector operators can play a greater role in expanding freight transportation and maximising the economic value of Ghana’s rail infrastructure.
