West African Regional Director of CUTS International, Appiah Adomako Kusi, has called on the Ghanaian government to make railway development a key component of the Big Push infrastructure programme. He said expanding the railway network would offer an efficient alternative for transporting cargo and help limit the damage caused by heavy‑duty trucks on the country’s roads.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View, Mr Kusi noted the decline of Ghana’s railway sector and the increasing investment in rail infrastructure by other African countries. He argued that the heavy reliance on road transport for both passengers and cargo is putting additional pressure on roads, which are costly to construct and maintain. Using rail for cargo movement, he said, would reduce the number of heavy‑duty vehicles on the roads and extend the lifespan of road infrastructure.
"The Big Push should also be looking into a railway network so that we can reduce the volume of cars on the road because it takes so much to construct a road," Mr Kusi said. He also contended that railway transport could provide a safer and more efficient means of moving people and goods across the country.
He cited the potential for stronger rail connectivity between major cities and economic centres, noting that an efficient railway system could allow people to live farther from their workplaces while commuting within shorter periods. Mr Kusi referenced a 2022 JICA analysis of Ghana’s Railway Master Plan, which identified investment opportunities to connect major parts of the country, including Accra, Kumasi, Paga and mining communities in the Western Region.
According to Mr Kusi, stronger investment in rail would complement road projects under the Big Push and support broader economic growth by improving the movement of people and goods.
