Project overview
Accra SkyTrain is a planned fully automated, elevated light railway metro network that is intended to serve the Accra city in Greater Accra, Ghana.
The network will have five routes, four of which are radial routes that originate at a new terminal at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, and another route that loops around the city center. The total track length across all routes is 194 kilometers.
Reported earlier
Nov 2018
Ghana signs US $3bn deal for the Accra SkyTrain project
The government of Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South African firm Africa Investment (AI) to construct the Accra Sky Train project at a whopping cost of US $3bn.
Ghana’s Railways Development Minister Mr. Joe Gharte, confirmed the reports and said the Sky Train Project was the solution to the increasing traffic congestion in Accra. He further explained that US $3bn deal signed would last 9 months.
Feasibility study
Ai SkyTrain Consortium would do a feasibility test of the project after which a concessionary agreement would be given for approval to the Cabinet and Parliament in 45 days.
“This will then pave way for the commencement of construction by January 2020,” said Ghartey added.
“There is confidence in the project. The promoters, Ai SkyTrain consortium are very serious, and that is why we invited the President, himself, to witness the signing. This should assure the investors that the government is solidly behind it. The economics of this project are also good. We are very excited about the prospects,” added Mr. Joe Gharte.
Accra’s public transport system
The SkyTrain is expected to improve Accra’s public transport system through an elevated light railway system which would provide low-cost transport to its citizens. According to World Bank, Ghana requires at least US $2bn per annum over the next decade to fill the infrastructure gap that exists.
“We are exceptionally excited also by the fact that a lot of the construction works will be done in Ghana. It will create a lot of jobs in Ghana because the fabrication and construction will all be done in Ghana,” said the Minister.
President Akufo-Addo stated that the projects set a good example of intra-Africa cooperation. “In this case it is Ghana and South Africa co-operation, meeting together to deal with the problem of urbanization.”
Nov 2019
Ghana signs concession agreement for the development of US $3bn Accra SkyTrain
The government of Ghana has signed a concession agreement with Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund and Africa Investment SkyTrain Consortium Holdings to develop a world-class mass transport system in Ghana’s capital Accra.
Accra SkyTrain system
The US $3bn Accra SkyTrain system will be the first of its kind in Africa. A SkyTrain is an elevated air-propelled light rail system that uses rails and steel wheels on an elevated runway for low drag and energy optimization. Sponsors of the project include Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund and South Africa-based Africa Investment SkyTrain Consortium Holdings, for which a feasibility study was recently completed.
In addition, the agreement marked the next step towards the completion of a bankable feasibility study. The African Investment SkyTrain Consortium comprises project development company Bunengi Group, construction engineering company Wilson Bayly Holmes Ovcon, and Ai Capital, the investment and financing arm of the Ai Group.
Ghana Investment Promotion Centre CEO Yofi Grant while speaking during the 2019 Africa Investment Forum, in Sandton said that they are confident the project will come to a financial close by this time next year so as to allow construction works to kick off soon after.
Funding the project
Mr. Grant added that several parties had expressed interest in funding the project through a combination of equity and debt as sponsors are keen to secure additional funding for the development.
Solomon Asamoah of Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund said the project will create 5,000 jobs during construction and more are expected to be employed considering the system’s multiplier effects and property growth around the transport system. Mr. Asamoah added that the SkyTrain would bypass existing infrastructure, therefore, making it easier and cheaper to deploy while operating in an environmentally-friendly manner
“We desire our cities to be green and modern, this project will take us there,” said African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina.
The $3b can be put to better use like updating our current road network and national railway system connecting takoradi to accra to kumasi , tamale to Burkina Faso so that all these heavy trucks carrying all manner of loads an damaging our roads , causing accidents and traffic jams can get off the roads!!
From what I saw on recent trip to Ghana this was a joke thought to spend This kind of money on something like a high rises highway. This kind of money would be better used to improve the damaged old roads that locals and world travelers are currently using. Grow the entire village not just pocket sections. From the background photos I don’t see the real Ghana anyway I see rich getting and looking richer. I met many there that are struggling to survive and a high rised road like that would only serve who can already afford to be on it. This would take the tourist away from and off the roads the locals are trying to make an honest living on. I agree with the others it looks like this was a project to fatten the already fat pockets. Also notice the advertising dollars spent on the ads with this don’t show any of the hard workers making a living off these fancy businesses. Who are they hiring? Who will be hired to build a fancy highway that doesn’t look like foamy of the areas that need help. We in the US are trying to bring new hope to our motherland not looking to see another way to circle around and ignore the real problem. I just witnessed a heartfelt experience and don’t want to see the past reinacted with ribbons and bows to end up at the beginning again. Please know I understand there is future in progress but start where it’s needed would get better results. Just saying!
Hmmm…..I pray God will wipe off this Greedy
Politicians from Ghana one day.
Hmm Ghana again $3 billion loan for this.. but what happens to old railways.. our leaders are just misusing the money..the point is (1) our lighting system in Ghana is not stable we can’t denied that is a fact.. 2) some of the roads needs expansion people loosen their love ones cuz of bad roads we’ve the country.. 3) if this high got fixed in the country how do we maintain it. Cuz we’ll are Ghanaians when it comes *Maintenance* or if i should put it this way *Renovation* our leaders in Ghana dnt kow that word.. this whole thing needs to be look at it again we don’t have waste money just bcuz someone wants to benefit from it is fair..GOD bless GHANA
Well the $3b is not only for the Sky train. The article did not spell out the current railway project in Ghana. There is major Railway project going on in Ghana of which the sky train is part of it. The project is to renovate and build new railway network to connect all the major cities. The sky train is part of the $3b railway project.
Former Kufour did brag about building this building that and nothing happen only to have urgly Chinese rail. It doesn’t make sense politicians and loot to share mentality is sick oh Ghana.
The railway to the northern border and further to the capital of Burkina Faso is funded from another source. That project funding is separate from the Accra Skyline project. That is about US$3.0 Billion and it is for a high speed railway to Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso.
Ghana use that $3b to built SGR from Tema port northward to your northern neighbors, it will make more economic sense , $3b for city train is not viable at all. Kenya and Ethiopia have used the same $3b to built over 500km of SGR