The Ministry for Railways Development says the Burkina Faso government has agreed to take up 50 percent of the consultancy cost of working on the feasibility studies on the Tema to Burkina Faso rail line via Akosombo in the Eastern Region.
The first phase of the project is the development of a 99-km railway from the Tema Harbour to Mpakadan Port along the Volta Lake.
The latter phase of the mega railway project is expected to link the Mpakadan Port to Paga through Buipe and then to Burkina Faso.
Speaking at the Meet-the-Press series organized by the Ministry of Information on Wednesday, Railways Development Minister, Joe Ghartey announced that the Burkinabe government has agreed to take up half of the consultancy cost even though about 80 percent of the railway line would be in Ghana.
The Minister noted that the Tema-Mpakadan railway line which is scheduled to be completed next year marks a significant milestone in the construction of the Accra-Ouagadougou line.
The project is estimated to cost about US$230 million.
Apart from the line helping move cargo between Ghana and its landlocked northern neighbours, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, there will be passenger fleet as part of the project.
Accra-Ouagadougou journey
The proposed railway line will go through Hohoe, Jasikan, Nkwanta, Bimbilla to Yendi and Sheni.
It will then continue to Tamale, Walewale, Bolgatanga, Navrongo and then link Burkina Faso at the Paga-Dakota border, approximately 700km from Mpakadan.
In line with the policy of the Government to link all regional capitals to the new modern railway network, the proposed alignment will also link the capitals of the Volta and Oti Regions.
The Burkina Faso leg of the proposed line starts from Ouagadougou, Kombissiri, Manga, Beguedo, Garango, Tenkodogo, Bagre, Zabre, Po, Dakola to Paga.