Western rail line to be extended to Nyinahin in Ashanti, and Hamile in Upper West – Finance Minister

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has announced plans to commence an expansion of the railway line from Takoradi to Nyinahin in the Ashanti Region in 2027, as part of a broader strategy to expand Ghana's railway network, support mineral processing and position the Takoradi Port as a major trade gateway to the Sahel.

He said the government would finance the initial phase of the project using domestic resources, with the railway expected to pass through major mineral-producing communities, including Nsuta and Awaso.

Presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament, Dr Forson said the railway would provide an important transportation link for moving manganese and bauxite to the western processing enclave, where the minerals would undergo value addition.

The project is expected to strengthen the country's capacity to transport mineral resources, support local industrial development and create employment opportunities along the railway corridor.

“Beginningin 2027, we will use our own resources to construct a railway line from Takoradi to Nyinahin,” the Finance Minister told Parliament.

He explained that the route would connect key mineral towns, including Nsuta and Awaso, providing a more efficient transportation system for the movement of raw materials to processing facilities in the Western Region.

The railway line is expected to facilitate the transportation of manganese and bauxite for processing, helping Ghana retain more value from its mineral resources instead of relying predominantly on the export of raw materials.

Dr Forson also announced plans to develop the Takoradi Port as Ghana's principal maritime gateway to the Sahel, strengthening the country's position as a regional logistics and trade hub.

As part of the longer-term expansion plan, he said the railway line would be extended northwards from Nyinahin to Hamile in the Upper West Region from 2030.

The proposed extension is expected to connect the railway network to a modern inland port at Hamile, which will serve landlocked countries in the Sahel, particularly Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The inland port is expected to provide an important logistics facility for facilitating the movement of goods between Ghana's maritime ports and markets in the Sahel region.

By linking Takoradi Port to Hamile through an expanded railway network, the government hopes to strengthen Ghana's role in regional trade and improve the movement of goods to neighbouring countries.

The Finance Minister said the railway expansion was not merely a transportation project but a strategic investment intended to support domestic industries, encourage local mineral processing and generate employment.

“This railway must power Ghanaian industries, support local processing and create jobs for our people,” he stated.

Emphasising the economic importance of adding value to the country's natural resources, Dr Forson said: “We must move our minerals towards greater value and our people towards greater prosperity.”

If implemented as outlined, the project would establish a major north-south rail corridor connecting Takoradi in the Western Region through mineral-producing communities in the Ashanti and Western regions to Hamile in the Upper West Region.