Actual construction works on the Boankra Inland Port Project will commence in earnest first quarter of 2022, the Minister of Transport, MrKwakuOforiAsiamah has assured.
According to him significant progress had been made in the execution of the project with engineering design and impact assessment all completed.
“Actual work should have started in October 2020, however, because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the processes had to stall, pushing the process back and delaying the work.
We are currently at the last stage of the process and with a concessionaire selected, we will move in to begin community engagements with members of the communities and then work will start,” he explained.
The Boankra project was initiated in 2003 by the Kuffour Administration with all the necessary feasibility studies concluded, however, actual construction works to bring the project to light was yet to start more than 15years after the commencement of the project.
Last year the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo officially cut sod to restart the project.
Responding to a question on the status of the project by the Ghanaian Times at the Minister’s briefing in Accra yesterday, MrAsiamah said government was still committed to seeing to the realisation of the project.
He explained that even though the process had delayed, it was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that “Indeed we are not going to run away from this project. It has been in the books for sometime now and I can assure you that work will start from next year.”
MrAsiamah said the project formed part of the strategic transport network being developed to bring import and export service to the middle and northern part of the country.
Touching on the progress made in the transport sector over the last four years, he said the Tema and Takoradi Ports had seen some major infrastructure upgrade which included the development of new berthing place for the ports.
He explained that the new terminal at Tema had positioned the country as the leading container hub making it a beacon of international trade within West Africa.
In addition to this, he said government was on course to establishing a third commercial port to increase trading activities of the country at Keta in the Volta Region.
MrAsiamah said feasibility studies on the Keta Port had been completed and on November 8 this year, the Ministry commence with the market sound activities to attract and invite bids from potential concessionaires.
In the aviation sector, the Minister said a number of activities including expansion works at the Kotoka International Airport, and the upgrade of the Kumasi and the Tamale Airports were currently ongoing.
He said feasibility studies were currently ongoing in terms of developing an airport for Cape Coast and Takoradi.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
The post Boankra Inland port to commence next year – Transport Minister appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
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