Sekondi-Kojokrom railway line back in operation as GRDA records 6,800 weekly passengers

The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) has announced the reactivation of the Sekondi-Kojokrom railway line, following rehabilitation works aimed at restoring rail services in the Western Region.

Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Dr. Frederick Appoh, disclosed that the line was officially reactivated on April 4, 2026, following a directive from the sector minister and through the vision of President John Dramani Mahama.

According to him, the achievement was made possible through the collective efforts of GRDA management and selected staff of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL).

Dr. Appoh said the Authority spearheaded the recovery and rehabilitation of the 15-kilometre railway line, which involved clearing overgrown vegetation, restoring railway stations to operational condition and repairing a defective Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU).

“I am happy to announce that the DMU is working in Takoradi. Since April, the train has been operational,” he stated.

He made these remarks during a media engagement in Accra, where he outlined the Authority’s achievements, operational challenges and plans to expand railway transportation across the country.

Dr. Appoh disclosed that the Tema-Mpakadan railway service currently transports approximately 6,800 passengers every week, while maintaining a GH₵15 fare to ensure affordability and encourage more people to use public rail transportation.

He said the Authority is targeting an increase in weekly passenger numbers to 10,000 as part of efforts to expand operations and improve service delivery.

The GRDA CEO also expressed concern over persistent attacks and acts of sabotage against railway infrastructure, warning that such activities threaten the safety and sustainability of railway operations.

He revealed that preliminary investigations by security agencies suggest that some incidents involving railway operations may be politically motivated.

According to him, some individuals also perceive railway operations as a threat to their businesses, resulting in deliberate attempts to undermine the railway system.

Dr. Appoh cited repeated stone-throwing incidents, with some areas recording as many as five attacks, as well as instances where stones had deliberately been placed on railway tracks to obstruct train movements.

He appealed to the public to desist from activities that endanger railway operations, including drug-related activities along railway corridors and sleeping on railway tracks.

On freight transportation, Dr. Appoh revealed that the Authority has successfully evacuated approximately 3,800 containers from the ports through rail transport.

He said the initiative is helping to reduce congestion at the ports while improving cargo movement and strengthening the role of rail transportation in Ghana’s logistics sector.

The Authority has also appealed to traditional leaders and other stakeholders to stop the sale and encroachment of lands designated for railway development.

Dr. Appoh stressed the importance of protecting railway lands from unauthorised transactions and encroachment, noting that safeguarding railway corridors is critical to the expansion and long-term development of the country’s rail network.

He said some people are using the railways for their drugs sale point and does all kinds of things on the railway lines