Minister for Railways Development, Joe Ghartey says the Accra-Tema railway line is in good shape and gaining more patronage.
This comes after the Ministry reduced the flat Accra-Tema rail line from GHc5 to GHC3.
The reduction came after the rail line was opened to the public, with the hope of increasing patronage of the railway service.
However, speaking to Citi News, the Sector Minister maintained that punctuality should be the value in running the railway line.
“People are relying on us to join other modes of transportation. From what I hear and understand, patronage for at least the Accra Tema line is going up. So as we do this, the workers must be more aggressive, innovative and think outside the box and it will be well.”
After months of hitches, the Accra to Tema railway line, commenced operations in February this year.
Patronage is said to be going up largely because Accra is the hub of business and a lot of companies have their head offices in Accra.
The Akufo-Addo government has stated categorically that it will resurrect the virtually non-existent railway sector.
Nana Akufo-Addo who said, the revival of the country’s railway sector is a priority of his administration has taken a number of initiatives to ensure that his promise is fulfilled.
See the schedule for the new Accra-Tema Train Service
The Ministry of Railways Development in collaboration with the Ghana Railway Company Limited run a diesel multiple unit (DMU) train which seats 360 persons with ample room for tens more to stand.
It is powered by onboard diesel engines and requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages.
The train departs from the Community 1 Station at 6:00 am daily and make stops at the Tema Fishing Harbour, Tema Harbour Station, Asoprochana Station, Nungua Barrier (Mile 11), Addogonno (Mile 9), Batchona Station, Airport, Abelenkpe, Achimota Station, Odaw Station (Circle) before docking at the Accra Central Railway Station at 7:30 am.
Later in the day at 5.40pm, it departs from the Accra Central Railway Station for Tema. It will make stops at Odaw Station (Circle), Achimota Station, Batchona Station, Asoprochana Station, Tema before stopping at the Community 1 Station at 7:22 pm.