Transport in Ghana: Difference between revisions

'''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.<ref name="transport">Clark, Nancy L. "Transportation and Telecommunications". ''[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ghtoc.html 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]]. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/about.html]''</ref>

The railway system in Ghana has historically been confined to the plains south of the barrier range on mountains north of the city of [[Kumasi]]. However, the {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}} [[narrow gauge railway]], totalling {{convert|935 kilometres|km|mi}}, is presently undergoing major rehabilitation and inroads to the interior are now being made. In Ghana, most of the lines are single tracked, and in 1997, it was estimated that {{convert|32 kilometres|km|mi}} were double tracked.

=== Rail expansion initiatives ===

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, Ghana|Tamale]] to [[Bolgatanga]] and [[Paga]] to [[Burkina Faso]]; a line from [[Wenchi]], [[Bole, Ghana|Bole]] to [[Wa, Ghana|Wa]] and [[Hamile]] and also to [[Burkina Faso]], and a line to [[Yendi]] where there are [[Iron ore in Africa|iron ore]] deposits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.modernghana.com/GhanaHome//report_content/doc9.doc|title=Ghana HomePage - Breaking News, Business, Sports, Entertainment and Video News|publisher=}}</ref>

Over the next two years, there were various studies<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=109755|title=Korean rail engineers head to Ghana|publisher=}}</ref> and in 2007, work began.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/business/2007/July/business_July15.xml&section=business&col=|title=Kampac wins Ghana railway contract - Khaleej Times|first=|last=(Wam)|publisher=}}</ref>

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, Ghana|Tamale]], [[Bolgatanga]] and [[Paga]], with a branch from [[Tamale, Ghana|Tamale]] to [[Yendi]] and [[Sheini]]. The extension starts at [[Kumasi]] and will cost $1.6b.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ww5.ghananewstoday.com/|title=ghananewstoday.com|website=ww5.ghananewstoday.com}}</ref>

There was another proposal in September 2007 to extend the Western Railway from [[Awaso (Town)|Awaso]] via [[Techiman]], [[Bole, Ghana|Bole]], [[Sawla]], [[Wa, Ghana|Wa]] to [[Hamile]].<ref>''Rail Gazette International'' September 2007 p. 523</ref>

The Ghana railway network occupies a total [[Rail transport|rail]] route length and [[Track (rail transport)|rail track]] length of 947&nbsp;km and 1300&nbsp;km, comprising national [[rail line]]s that do not go outside of Ghana and the Ghana [[national border]].<ref name="Essential renewals must pave the way for ambitious expansion strategy">{{cite webmagazine |publishermagazine= ''Railway Gazette'' |url = http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/essential-renewals-must-pave-the-way-for-ambitious-expansion-strategy.html |title = Essential renewals must pave the way for ambitious expansion strategy |accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013}}</ref> Ghana railway network is limited to south Ghana and the southern part of Ghana within the Greater Accra region, Central region, Western region, Eastern region and Ashanti region of south Ghana.<ref name="Essential renewals must pave the way for ambitious expansion strategy"/>

* The major [[Rail transport|rail routes]] in Ghana are the [[Railway stations in Ghana#East|Ghana Eastern Rail Line]] that connects Kumasi to Koforidua, and the [[Railway stations in Ghana#West|Ghana Western Rail Line]] that connects Kumasi to Sekondi-Takoradi, Sunyani and Cape Coast.<ref name="Essential renewals must pave the way for ambitious expansion strategy" /> In 2010, Ghana Railway Corporation began a [[Ghana cedi|GH₵]]12.9 billion ([[United States dollar|US$]]6&nbsp;billion) rail project at the construction of the Ghana rail infrastructure to Ghana [[High-speed rail|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|China Railway High-Speed]] (CHR) and the Chinese National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC).<ref>{{cite web|title=Ghana, China signs railway contract|url=http://www.ghananewslink.com/index.php?id=10515|website=ghananewslink.com|accessdateaccess-date=5 June 2013|date=30 November 2010}}</ref>

Korean engineers studying the building of new lines in February 2007 were also to consider conversion to [[standardTrack gauge conversion|conversion]] to {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yinggelken.blogspot.com/2007/02/korean-rail-engineers-head-to-ghana.html|title=Blogger|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/200708/7194.asp|archiveurlarchive-url=https://archive.istoday/20070701221114/http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/200708/7194.asp|deadurlurl-status=ydead|title=Ghana News :: Trains go North ::: Breaking News &#124; News in Ghana &#124; news<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedatearchive-date=July 1, 2007}}</ref><ref>[http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?newsid=4453&section=9 The Statesman : Special Reports : The transformation of Ghana's rail<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/08/uae_group_signs_ghana_rail_dea.html National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT): UAE group signs Ghana rail deal<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.istoday/20120911062631/http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2007/08/uae_group_signs_ghana_rail_dea.html |date=2012-09-11 }}</ref><ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.fig.net/pub/fig2006/papers/ts47/ts47_04_fiatornu_0796.pdf]{{dead link|title=Archived copy |access-date=July2008-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612140558/http://www.fig.net/pub/fig2006/papers/ts47/ts47_04_fiatornu_0796.pdf |archive-date=2011-06-12 |url-status=dead 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otal.com/ghana/|title=Overseas Travel and Leisure - OTAL.com|publisher=}}</ref>

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.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://mrt.gov.gh/pages.asp?page_Id=1&expandable=0]{{dead link|title=Welcome to the Ministry of Roads and Highways - Ghana |access-date=July2010-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113014431/http://www.mrt.gov.gh/pages.asp?page_Id=1&expandable=0 |archive-date=2009-11-13 |url-status=dead 2019}}</ref> The Ghana Highway Authority, established in 1974 is tasked with developing and maintaining the country's trunk road network totaling 13,367&nbsp;km, which makes up 33% of Ghana's total road network of 40,186&nbsp;km.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.highways.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=28 ]{{dead|title=About GHA link|access-date=July2010-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110418040119/http://www.highways.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=28 |archive-date=2011-04-18 |url-status=dead 2019}}</ref>

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 urvanurban buses known as "trotro" or taxis. For inter-regional transport bigger buses are normally used.

| caption1 = <center>[[Dual carriageway|Dual Carriageway]] with a [[Stop sign|Stop Sign]] in [[Akosombo]], Eastern region, Ghana.</center>

| caption2 = <center>[[Traffic circle|Traffic Circle]] in Greater Accra, Ghana.</center>

The Ghana road network is 64,323&nbsp;km and [[road transportation]] is the most dominant choice of transportation in Ghana.<ref name="Commerce Ghana Adequate Transportation">{{cite web |website=commerceghana.com|url = http://www.commerceghana.com/why-invest-in-ghana/transportation-in-ghana|title= Commerce Ghana Adequate Transportation|accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013}}</ref> Road transport infrastructure in Ghana can be used throughout to facilitate the exchange of commodities and enable regular school attendance and fast access to health facilities in Ghana.<ref name="Commerce Ghana Adequate Transportation"/> There has been an increased investment and expansion in the road transportation of Ghana, [[Ghana cedi|GH₵]]1 billion ([[United States dollar|US$]]500&nbsp;million) in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |author = |work= chinadaily.com.cn |publisher= [[China Daily]] |url = http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2012-12/05/content_15986854.htm|title= $500m of Chinese loan used on roads in Ghana, says minister |date=5 December 2012 |accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013}}</ref>

There is a Ghanaian [[Bus rapid transit|Bus Rapid Transit]], known as [[Metro mass Transit L.T.D]], and a [[Taxicab]] system connecting the Ghanaian big cities among themselves, and a [[Minibus]]es system, known as [[Tro tro|Tro Tros]], connecting big cities with the country's [[rural area]]s and small towns.<ref name="Commerce Ghana Adequate Transportation"/> The [[Ghana Police Service]]'s [[Motor Transport and Traffic Unit]] (MTTU) and the [[Ghana Highways Authority]] is responsible for the maintenance of the [[Road traffic control|Road Traffic Control]] of Ghana and the [[Ghana Road Network]] (Ghana national [[highway]]s and [[motorway]]s).<ref>{{cite web |author = |work= ghanapolice.info |publisher= |url = http://www.ghanapolice.info/mttu/mttu.htm |title=About MTTU|access-date= |accessdate = 5 June 2013}}</ref>

The [[Trans–West African Coastal Highway]], part of the [[Trans-African Highway network]] crosses Ghana along the '''N1''', connecting it to [[Abidjan]], ([[Ivory Coast]]), [[Lomé]], ([[Togo]]) and to [[Benin]] and [[Nigeria]]. Eventually the highway will connect to another seven [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) nations to the west. The '''N2''', which connects [[Tema]] in the Greater Accra Region to Kulungugu in the Upper East Region; the '''N10''', which connects [[Yamoransa]] in the Central Region to Paga in the Upper East Region; and the '''N12''', which connects [[Elubo]] in the Western Region to [[Hamile]] in the Upper West Region;<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.highways.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=40 ]{{dead|title=Road Network &#124; Greater Accra Region link|access-date=July2010-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110418035754/http://www.highways.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=40 |archive-date=2011-04-18 |url-status=dead 2019}}</ref> all connect Ghana to landlocked [[Burkina Faso]], where it joins another highway in the Trans-African network, the [[Trans-Sahelian Highway]].

[[File:Volta River with Adomi Bridge.JPG|thumb|right|<{{center>|[[Water taxi]]s on [[Volta Lake]] in Ghana</center>}}]]

Ghana's [[Volta River]], [[Ankobra River]], and [[Tano River]] provide 168&nbsp;km of perennial navigation for [[Ship naming and launching|launches]] and [[Lighter (barge)|lighters]], and Volta Lake provides 1,125 kilometres of [[Canal|arterial and feeder waterway]].<ref name="Transport in Ghana">{{cite web |website=commonwealthofnations.org |url = http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/sectors-ghana/travel/transport/ |title=Transport in Ghana |accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013}}</ref> There are two main seaports in Ghana which are located in the southern coastal cities of Sekondi-Takoradi and Tema (Takoradi Harbour and Tema Harbour).<ref name="Commerce Ghana Adequate Transportation"/> The strategic [[Location (geography)|geographical location]] of Ghana to the Volta Lake and the many [[List of rivers of Ghana|rivers of Ghana]] that provide [[Inland port|inland transport]] make Ghana a very transited [[sovereign state]] for [[Cargo ship|freighters]].<ref name="The ideal gateway">{{cite web |author = |work= commonwealthgovernance.org |publisher=Government of Ghana |url = http://www.commonwealthgovernance.org/partners/ghana-ports-and-harbours-authority/|title= Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority - Port of Tema: The preferred port • Port of Takoradi: The ideal gateway|access-date= |accessdate = 5 June 2013}}</ref>

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.<ref name="aviation">Clark, Nancy L. "Civil Aviation". ''[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ghtoc.html 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]].[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/about.html]''</ref>

[[File:Ghana Airways DC-10-30 9G-ANE JFK 2004-4-10.png|thumb|<center>[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]] of the [[Ghana Airways]]</center>]]

In 2005, [[Ghana International Airlines]] (GIA) began services as the new national airline of Ghana. GIA operated [[Boeing 757]] and [[Boeing 767]] aircraft under [[wet lease]] arrangements with other airlines, and connected [[Kotoka International Airport]] in Accra with [[Gatwick Airport|London Gatwick]] and [[Düsseldorf]]. After several years GIA also ceased operations. After the cessation of operations of [[Ghana International Airlines]] in 2010, major airlines of Ghana are [[Africa World Airlines]], [[Antrak Air]], [[CTK – CiTylinK]] and [[Starbow Airlines]] which fly to [[Domestic flight|domestic destinations]] in Ghana, around the world and to main flight points of the Africa continent. There are also some commercial airlines running domestic flights between the major cities in Ghana.<ref>{{cite web |work= Aero Transport Data Bank |url = http://www.aerotransport.org/php/go.php?q=Ghana+International+Airlines |title = Ghana International Airlines |accessdateaccess-date=5 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|work = Antrak Air|url = http://www.antrakair.com/aboutantrakair.aspx|title = Company Profile|accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013|deadurlurl-status = yesdead|archiveurlarchive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120104154223/http://www.antrakair.com/aboutantrakair.aspx|archivedatearchive-date = 4 January 2012|df = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work= CTK-CiTylinK |url = http://www.flycitylink.com/ |title = Home |accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work = Starbow airlines |url = http://www.flystarbow.com/?p=51 |title = Who we are - Flystarbow |accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111211210320/http://www.flystarbow.com/?p=51 |archive-date = 11 December 2011 |url-status = dead }}</ref> In 2010, Ghana planned for the revival of [[Ghana Airways]] to commence [[commercial aviation]].<ref>{{cite web |author = |work=ghana.gov.gh |publisher=Government of Ghana |url = http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/general-news/2551-government-to-review-management-of-ariks-proposal-to-revive-ghana-airways |title=Government To Review Proposal To Revive Ghana Airways|date=25 June 2010 |accessdateaccess-date = 5 June 2013}}</ref> At present there exists no Ghanaian airline providing long-haul international services.

Between 2009 and 2013, the number of air passengers in Ghana more than quadrupled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IS.AIR.PSGR|title=Air transport, passengers carried - Data|publisher=}}</ref>