THE CEO of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), Dr Frederick Appoh, has confirmed that the European Commission (EC) has approved a €20m grant to support the project to introduce ETCS Level 1 on the Tema - Mpakadan line.
The line, commissioned in 2024 and having cost $US 449m to build, is currently operating below capacity due to non-functioning signalling systems, which are limiting operations on the 97.6km single-track line to a single train movement at a time.
The 97.6km Tema - Mpakadan line is first phase of the proposed 1000km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) connecting the port of Tema with eastern Ghana and eventually Burkina Faso. It first opened in November 2024 but experienced problems with infrastructure and rolling stock reliability, prompting GRDA to conduct a programme of repairs ahead of the relaunch of passenger services in October 2025.
Appoh says disbursement of the European Union (EU) funding is expected by the end of this year.
“With ETCS Level 1 implementation, we will unlock safe multiple train operations through movement authority and full supervision, improved capacity and reliability, enhanced safety and traffic management, and full utilisation of a strategic national asset,” Appoh says.
Appoh adds that the agreement reflects a deliberate shift towards grant-based financing in the light of current fiscal constraints, while also underscoring the strength of collaboration between Ghana and its European partners.
