History
Operations began in 1898 under the Gold Coast Civil Service with headquarters in Sekondi. The headquarters were transferred to Takoradi after the building of Takoradi Harbour, and railways and ports were jointly administered as the Ghana Railway & Ports Authority. In 1976, SMCD 95 separated the railway from ports as the Ghana Railway Corporation. The company enjoyed the status of a public corporation until 19 March 2001, when it became a limited liability company.
The original 304-kilometre (189 mi) Eastern Railway was built in 1923 by the British for the purpose of hauling minerals and cocoa. Construction of the Ghana Railways started before there were any port facilities, and locomotives and other equipment had to be lightered over the beach.
In 2010, a contract was signed to construct a railway from Paga (on the border with Burkina Faso) to Kumasi; plus a branch from Tamale to Yendi.
The railway network in Ghana resembles a large capital "A" with 3 components - a "western division" (the left leg of the "A") from Secondi/Takoradi to Kumasi (280 km, 168 mi), an "eastern division" (the right leg of the "A") from Accra to Kumasi, and a "central division" (the horizontal bar of the "A") from Huni Valley to Kotoku. The 953 km (570 mi) network includes branch lines on the "western division" to Prestea and Awaso, a branch line to Kade on the "central division", and branch lines to Tema and Shai Hills on the "eastern division. The following table outlines the dates of construction of the various parts of the railway network. (See map below right.)
| Date | Western Division | Date | Eastern Division | Date | Central Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Secondi to Tarkwa | 1910 | Accra to Achimota | 1926 | Huni Valley (Tinkrakrom)(4) to Achiasi |
| 1902 | Tarkwa to Huni Valley | 1910 | Achimota to Nswam | 1927 | Achiasi to Kade (5) |
| 1902 | Huni Valley to Obwasi | 1915 | Nswam to Koforidua | 1956 | Achiasi to Kotoku (6) |
| 1903 | Obwasi to Kumasi | 1918 | Koforidua to Tafo | ||
| 1911 | Tarkwa to Prestea (1) | 1923 | Tafo to Kumasi | ||
| 1928 | Takoradi to Kojokrom (2) | 1954 | Achimoto to Tema | ||
| 1944 | Dunkwa to Awaso (3) | 1954 | Tema to Shai Hills |
Note 1 - Tarkwa to Prestea is a branch line on the Western Division that services manganese mines.
Note 2 - Kojokrom is the junction of the line to Secondi (now abandoned). The other leg serves the port of Takoradi.
Note 3 - Dunkwa to Awaso is a branch line on the Western Division that services bauxite mines.
Note 4 - Huni Valley (Tinkwakrom) is the junction of the Central Division with the Western Division.
Note 5 - Achiasi to Kade is now a branch line on the Central Division. It used to service gold mines.
Note 6 - Kotoku is the junction of the Central Division with the Western Division.
| Stations On Western Division | ||
|---|---|---|
| Station | Milepost | Flagstop |
| TAKORADI | 0.0 | NK |
| Butuah | . | NK |
| Efia Nkwanta | . | NK |
| Kojokrom | . | NK |
| Inchaban Junction | . | NK |
| Ashiam | . | NK |
| Angu | . | NK |
| Manso | . | NK |
| Benso | . | NK |
| Esuaso | . | NK |
| Bonsawire | . | NK |
| Nsuta | . | NK |
| TARKWA | . | NK |
| Aboso | . | NK |
| Bompieso | . | NK |
| HUNI VALLEY (Tinkwakrom) | . | NK |
| Kuranti | . | NK |
| Insu | . | NK |
| Gymakrom | . | NK |
| Oppon Valley | . | NK |
| DUNKWA | . | NK |
| Ampunyase | . | NK |
| Akrofuom | . | NK |
| Obuasi | . | NK |
| Akrokerri | . | NK |
| Kanseri | . | NK |
| Bekwai | . | NK |
| Eduaben | . | NK |
| KUMASI | . | NK |
| Note 1 | No passenger service | |
| Note 2 | 2 | a |
| Note 3 | 3 | b |
Read more about this topic: Ghana Railway Corporation
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