Transport in Ghana
Transport in Ghana is accomplished by road, rail, air and water. Ghana's transportation and communications networks are centered in the southern regions, especially the areas in which gold, cocoa, and timber are produced. The northern and central areas are connected through a major road system.[1]
Increased transport investment helped to increase the number of new vehicle registrations and transportation alternatives include rail, road, ferry, marine and air.[1]
Railways
The railway system in Ghana has historically been confined to the plains south of the barrier range on mountains north of the city of
Rail expansion
In 2005, the Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways announced plans to extend the railway system to facilitate economic development. To begin, $5 million was invested for feasibility studies. Possible projects at the time included extending a line from Ejisu to Nkoranza and Techiman; a line from Tamale to Bolgatanga and Paga to Burkina Faso; a line from Wenchi, Bole to Wa and Hamile and also to Burkina Faso, and a line to Yendi where there are iron ore deposits.[2]
Over the next two years, there were various studies[3] and in 2007, work began.[4]
In March 2007, a Private Public Partnership was proposed to rehabilitate the Eastern Railway from Accra to Ejisu and Kumasi, with an extension from Ejisu via Mampong, Nkoranza, Tamale, Bolgatanga and Paga, with a branch from Tamale to Yendi and Sheini. The extension starts at Kumasi and will cost $1.6b.[5]
There was another proposal in September 2007 to extend the Western Railway from
In February 2008, the Ghana General News reported that the Ministry of Harbours and Railways and the Ghana Railway Corporation (GRC) expected to complete a new commuter line linking Accra and Tema by June 2008. The formation was complete from Sakumono to the SSNIT flats near Tema. Diesel multiple-unit trainsets will be imported for use on the line.[7] Construction of sleeper plant for the far north line was also initiated in 2008.
Rail transport
The Ghana railway network occupies a total
There are plans underway that revamp the operations of the
- The major GH₵12.9 billion (US$6 billion) rail project at the construction of the Ghana rail infrastructure to Ghana High-Speed Rail (abbreviated GHSR or HSR) and to upgrade all of Ghana's railway line network has been planned and to be completed at the end of 2014 with construction managed by the China Railway High-Speed (CHR) and the Chinese National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC).[9]
Service pending
These towns are proposed to be served by rail:
- Hamile - far northwest corner (Contracts were made for railway extensions in July 2007.)
- Boankra Inland Port (under construction)[10]
Gauge conversion
Korean engineers studying the building of new lines in February 2007 were also to consider
Highways
Road transport is by far the dominant carrier of freight and passengers in Ghana's land transport system. It carries over 95% of all passenger and freight traffic and reaches most communities, and is classified under three categories of trunk roads, urban roads, and feeder roads.[17] The Ghana Highway Authority, established in 1974 is tasked with developing and maintaining the country's trunk road network totaling 13,367 km, which makes up 33% of Ghana's total road network of 40,186 km.[18]
Trunk roads in Ghana are classified as National roads, Regional roads, and Inter-regional roads, all of which form the
With respect to this mode of transport, many people prefer to use the public means. Many of the town and cities in the country can be reached by the use of urban buses known as "trotro" or taxis. For inter-regional transport bigger buses are normally used.
The Ghana road network is 64,323 km and
There is a Ghanaian
International highways
The
Ferries and waterways
The Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 kilometres of arterial and feeder waterway.
There are ferries on Lake Volta at Yeji and Kwadjokrom.
Marine transport
Seaports and harbours
There are ports on the Atlantic Ocean at
The port of Tema handles the majority of the nation's import and export cargo and most of the country's chief exports is shipped from Sekondi-Takoradi and Tema.
Merchant marine
There are six ships (with a volume of 1,000 gross tonnage (GT) or over) totaling 13,484 GT/18,583 tonnes deadweight (DWT). This includes two petroleum tankers and four refrigerated cargo vessels (1999 estimates).
Ghana's
Aviation
On July 4, 1958, the Ghanaian government established Ghana Airways connecting Ghana with other countries. By the mid-1990s, Ghana Airways operated international scheduled passenger and cargo service to numerous European, Middle Eastern, and African destinations, including London, Düsseldorf, Rome, Abidjan, Dakar, Lagos, Lomé, and Johannesburg. As a result of persistent management and financial problems, Ghana Airways ceased all operations and entered into liquidation in 2004.[26]
Ghana has twelve airports, six with hard surfaced runways. The most important are Kotoka International Airport at Accra and airports at Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi, and Tamale that serve domestic air traffic. In 1990, the government spent US$12 million to improve Accra's facilities. Workmen resurfaced the runway, upgraded the lighting system and built a new freight terminal. Construction crews also extended and upgraded the terminal building at Kumasi. In early 1991, the government announced further plans to improve Accra's international airport. The main runway was upgraded, improvements were made in freight landing and infrastructure, and the terminal building and the airport's navigational aids were upgraded.[26]
The first Ghanaian
In 2005,
Between 2009 and 2013, the number of air passengers in Ghana more than quadrupled.[33]
Airports - with paved runways
Kotoka International Airport
total:
6
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
3
914 to 1,523 m:
2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total:
6
1,524 to 2,437 m:not true
1
914 to 1,523 m:
3
under 914 m:
2
See also
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook.
References
- ^ a b Clark, Nancy L. "Transportation and Telecommunications". A Country Study: Ghana (La Verle Berry, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (November 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. [1]
- ^ "Ghana HomePage - Breaking News, Business, Sports, Entertainment and Video News".
- ^ "Korean rail engineers head to Ghana".
- ^ (Wam). "Kampac wins Ghana railway contract - Khaleej Times".
- ^ "ghananewstoday.com". ww5.ghananewstoday.com.
- ^ Rail Gazette International September 2007 p. 523
- ^ Africa, Railways. "Railways Africa". Railways Africa.
- ^ a b c d e "Essential renewals must pave the way for ambitious expansion strategy". Railway Gazette. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Ghana, China signs railway contract". ghananewslink.com. 30 November 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "MPHRGH".
- ^ "Blogger".
- ^ "Ghana News :: Trains go North ::: Breaking News | News in Ghana | news". Archived from the original on July 1, 2007.
- ^ The Statesman : Special Reports : The transformation of Ghana's rail
- ^ National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT): UAE group signs Ghana rail deal Archived 2012-09-11 at archive.today
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Overseas Travel and Leisure - OTAL.com".
- ^ "Welcome to the Ministry of Roads and Highways - Ghana". Archived from the original on 2009-11-13. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
- ^ "About GHA". Archived from the original on 2011-04-18. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
- ^ a b c d e f "Commerce Ghana Adequate Transportation". commerceghana.com. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "$500m of Chinese loan used on roads in Ghana, says minister". chinadaily.com.cn. China Daily. 5 December 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "About MTTU". ghanapolice.info. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Road Network | Greater Accra Region". Archived from the original on 2011-04-18. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
- ^ a b c d e Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority Archived 2009-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. ghanaports.gov.gh. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Transport in Ghana". commonwealthofnations.org. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ a b c "Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority - Port of Tema: The preferred port • Port of Takoradi: The ideal gateway". commonwealthgovernance.org. Government of Ghana. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ a b Clark, Nancy L. "Civil Aviation". A Country Study: Ghana (La Verle Berry, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (November 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.[2]
- ^ "Kotoka International Airport - Flight Statistics". Ghana Airports. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Ghana International Airlines". Aero Transport Data Bank. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Company Profile". Antrak Air. Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Home". CTK-CiTylinK. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Who we are - Flystarbow". Starbow airlines. Archived from the original on 11 December 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Government To Review Proposal To Revive Ghana Airways". ghana.gov.gh. Government of Ghana. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Air transport, passengers carried - Data".
External links
Media related to Transport in Ghana at Wikimedia Commons