Ghana's Railway Revolution - UPfront on JoyNews (17-10-19)

[Music] tonight on upfront the 19 Shannon about to the rescue of the railway sector said to be in comatose we have someone the CEO of the River Development Authority to account for his stewardship my guests today are we tell you more about after this break name is Vermont aqua my guest today is a lawyer who spent most of his working life in the oil industry in the United Kingdom retching dear don't don't bow you will come to our front thank you so much and this sector has seen in more recent years some amount of money being pumped in their way hi Anna used to be in times past but what is there to show for it that is why Richard will be telling us more about it before we go I mean I notice you're saying static or are you in any way related to the SD Dumbo as in the dark or Busia Dumbo traditions as the noble well it's like it's a giveaway isn't it well I am his direct son oh I see yeah he wears the Dumbo oh that's interesting yeah I didn't know that he was in government in any part of it this way so is that why you are in this job oh absolutely not yes as I said I'm a barrister but by profession and training but in the United Kingdom I joined the railway sector in 1994 so after 2017 when I got my appointment to assume this position in Ghana I'd been working for 23 years in the rural sector I'm broken okay 23 years so I got this job not because of the name sadly not I've got the really background and of course I was also an active party member United Kingdom in fact the first vice chairman of the UK branch that's interesting now let me get this straight because there's a lot talk about what's supposed to happen now when the colonial master left we had neither 46 or so kilometres of reliance the system somewhat subway became a bit messed up indeed I know you have described the rail industry prior to 2017 has been in a comatose why do you think was like that and what was the extent of deterioration prior to that time oh thank you indeed the colonial administration left for Ghana a total of nine hundred forty seven kilometers and I've got them up here if your cameras to zoom and you will see the extent to which okay it is if you can see very well it is this red line here it's almost like an animated V that's true that is all the killer the the reveal is ever left for us 947 of it and it is way strategic in why they chose this particular pattern is quite a call baby at the Western line yeah that is from techwadi through to Kumasi yeah and of course on that western line we have gold timber cocoa manganese bauxite and of course there's a passenger element of it's worth so it was particularly sited then we have always called the eastern line which is from Tama Accra through a remote and Salaam and cocoa through to Kumasi yeah again a huge passenger network so those who reminisce about the past as we get oh we should join the sleeper train etc so try it was at least in line yeah yeah that kind of thing so this is what he left for us now in terms of the state of coma tools that are aptly describe the state of the sector as such January 2017 when its excellency Prasanna father assumed office the first step he took was the creation of the standalone Ministry of Railways development well yeah as well we had what was called Minister of Transport under which we have the railways aviation ports and harbors big Tomas now with the decoupling of the rural sector son alone and again with aviation the immediate focus that the sector needed or the needed focus that was required in the sector was attained now why was the sector as bad as it was until 2017 a number of reasons the fact that it came under the huge umbrella is one one reason why this way the Minister of Finance in his budget allocation or budget or education to various sector ministries would just give to the Ministry of Transport gigantic as who was just one a location that's true which was not to be split among these huge sectors Aviation is huge on his own and so it's a real waste now when we talk about the investment element in a rural sector that brings water to the eyes as I watering and that what am I put into context the fact that the rural sector could never ever drive under the rivers ministry sorry under the transport sector moving commands away allocated we're talking of an average an average of over four million dollars per kilometre to construct that is a starting point and and if you look at the fact that maybe Minister of Transport and its entirety would probably give me the equivalent in dollar terms of Lisa about 6 to 8 million dollars for the year and 1 kilometre takes about 4 4 million dollars so basically we basically even at most two kilometers are you kidding me amount of money I'm talking about was not what the Ruby sector I'm the important sector cause we're is well so there we go so in order for us to get a handle on this very important and sleeping giant the first step was what his Excellency President Obama did ie the creation of the standalone Ministry of Railways with that as a statement of intent in a very fast budgetary allocation to the sector in 2017 from 2016 where the sector was given 20 million Ghana Cedis that is the sector from its share from the Minister of Transport the standalone ministry got no less than seven hundred eighty million cities in a very fast budget is around 18 million cities to the to the rural sector alone that was a statement of intent in fact this money was used in the first year for exploration on ice exploration the sector Minister myself and deputies you know Travis the world to see best practice you know which which countries like Israel you know we were asked why Israel well of course the developing country in by definition and oh and they don't have any significant release to note but they are developing so we can copy form such countries then of course we went to even more duvall places like the United Kingdom Russia etc where they have real real infrastructure to talk about that money facilitated all of these trips toward the end of December 2017 the residual sum the had to be used or lost we converted it into the construction of a railway the start of the construction of the Ruby sector in the Western line so we started we started with Kodachrome to ashame which is five kilometers and that was the equivalent of 20 million dollars you know restore from from the 780 million Ghana Cedis stores left now went back again to have an established you it was literally you know abundant the sector ministers of the past do you not give me the required focus why because no one the you know it wasn't considered a cash cow yeah my infamous transfer minister howdy ble under me you know and and and stuff like that I probably would be looking to where it is but that simply reflected the lack of understanding of the important role the railway sector plays in any country's economic development if that understanding was you know was realized by past administrations I'm sure that you know they would not you know leave it like some abandoned stepchild in fact it would be giving the kind of focus it has been given now and I believe that as of 2017 that the sector would have been far ahead but that's where we are now I'll come to it but there are important things that were stipulated about this sector and I'm looking at for example the 2019 budgets the finance minister says there has been a change in the sector from a dying colonial rail network system and has been realized into a proper railway sector that's what the finance minister said that's not about what has specifically been done in this area are pretty soon okay equally instructive is though when you look at the manifesto of the NPP way back in 2016 it talked about the development of a model road network with strong economic linkages the Western and the eastern lines will be completely overhauled this will facilitate the haulage of oxide manganese cemented measures all the other things the rehabilitation is in line particular will also facilitate the operation of the bank rack inland ports which has been rendered inoperable as a result of the not functioning of the particular line there's also the intent to develop an integrated light rail transit system mm-hmm now this is what coming to frog okay expand the rule network to the north of Ghana let's start from the Western Addition lines what has been done so far let's start for the Western line yeah I think in my last answer I did say the residuals are from the 2017 budget reallocation which amounted to twenty million dollars was plowed into the start of the construction of the standard gauge line on the Western line commencing from Kodachrome through 2h that sir could you come to the gym the president in his State of the Union address in 2018 just like he did in 2017 which announced the five kilometers also announced in the 2018 an additional 17 kilometers of new standard gauge construction on the western line that totals 22 and he's been undertaken by this is really firm quorum Andy subsequently that in April of this year the Minister Minister released from I'm you know he would you got a massive way in China when I signed a contract with a Chinese who call would you for five hundred million dollars for 100 kilometres to commence from maan so where among these contract finishes did kilometer 22 is where my tea finishes so for acuity 23 up to 100 kilometers bends ie it terminates around 200 kilometers that has been signed and it was under the facility of the CD be launched Chinese rubber band rule which is you know common knowledge out there that a three million dollar contract was amazing so long facility was obtained from cdb we're back in 2017 under the presidency of I think John Atta Mills out of which 1 1 billion was released the other two was withheld until 2017 when his Excellency vice president illumined vice president Baum yes went to China and the China was quite pleased with the the science of stability economic stability in Ghana they decided okay you know what we will release in the to it took another year in October 2018 when his Excellency the President himself the macro father went to China together with his Chinese counterpart the sign protocol to release the two billion outstanding I see out of the two billion that was promised release the Minister of Finance out of the goodness of his heart you know decided that 1 billion was going to be given to railway sector so here we needed to know how we're going to disburse that sound so between the minister and I and deputies we decided that 500 million will be plowed onto the Western line which is what I've just talked about the would you won and the other 500 million on what is called a central spine the central spine originates from Kumasi heading toward the north so that is the western line in terms of what has been done in the Western line so we have two things happen in the Western line we have first and foremost let me introduce to you the the fact that we are not working you know of the calf we have what is called the Reuben master plan of Ghana yeah it's been launched only 2013 it was yes and of yes what do you call it some sign for review of it and the review is far advanced okay now I'm gonna master plan there are six phases phase 1 talks of a rehabilitation of the existing lines which is the inverted V that I showed you so on the western line phase one who has been launched ie the rehabilitation of the existent but dilapidated line between tack report and taqwa that is the limit of the rehabilitation to date that is on goal it has been done or complete ongoing okay what do you have now in terms of percentage to be frank my sister company people do not know that we have offices the company I am the gunner with the formal authority that's the authority that I chief of then I have a sister company called the gunnery company limited company limited supposed development authority I guess now the Company Limited have the personnel I own so my authority own the assets okay my sister company have the personnel they do the operations and we decided to to expand the role a bit beyond operations now you get them beyond just maintenance but you get them also to to do a bit of construction so we signed a contract with them to do the rehabilitation so they are doing a rehabilitation so in terms of percentage they come misadvised but it's probably this is don't quote me on it but it's probably in the region of about sixty percent complete 60 to 80 percent complete why do I say definite figure I couldn't say so because okay remember yes I wrote in this bill remember the these guys are not by nature really contractors we have ready call it polish the rule ie trying to make make a sector even more thriving you know ie the people who are already on board long years of experience momentum and I guess you can easily do maintenance work in that regard I get you so if they are the same persons constructing or who who've done the completed work between Accra and Tama and they're the same persons involved in the a crack in someone rehabilitation remember the sector was totally gone and so they are doing that one and so and in in so far as we do not want to rush things much of the public and the press and whatnot keep asking give us percentages give us timelines but the real is that I am a no affair will depress with your long memories you say the chief executive start here and said this but a couple of references to make you but we I'm not there yet yeah please all right so essentially I'm not going to be able to give you all I'm not gonna give you any percentage just just to say that we they come the near completion of the Accra and so on line near completely a completion because we we've sat down in August 2017 yes we have been confronted with some realities you know the the the what I call the the Ghulam C effect is also on that also on that side there so please where we solve the soft soil is so terribly you know degraded that it requires a lot more than just you know putting ballast and slippies you know on it so when are we going to be able to use the occurrence at one stretch my what about the writer of regulations and assurance are we are detect at the really develop thority has been on site to see that what done to date by gonorrhea company limited and he's advised some you know some some fair that works to be done until those work sedan who to require some radical soft soil or soft structure fortifications which is ongoing which requires you know budget remember it's everything has to be budget I'll come talk about the money but the question I asked was as we sit here today here this is really not about twenty nineteen here's the first term of this government if it were gonna extension it will be dependent on the election here the rest of the term of this governments and in next year that's right he barely a year to go a maximum when can me and others commuters use the occur in some stretch when well like I said this is not a matter of snap your finger I've just told you you know about the budget is it a point of you have you can see looking at the figures right before me greater for example I know that in the year 2016 the approved budget for the particular sector was 11 million cities right only terminal was released 2017 was 518 million fifteen yes and the release was four hundred thirty five million right I'm looking also at 2018 five four four million was approved and 270 s of September was released that's all the figures I have for me the question marks in you is the people who don't care about whether there's money in this kit you're not here who only care about a quest to revive a sector yes they would want to use that crying sounds just like they used to do before what specific assurance can you give that this date will have it run put it this way I mean the very figures you've quoted yes it's enough of a vindication of where we are remember that those figures you quoted and not for the very root you're talking about it's called affected the entire sector and for that matter if you if you where you are conveyed that in dollar terms I probably tell you the construction cost pick you four million per coulomb there that's construct the average that's on the average sometimes has a lot more depends on more challenges you face your face you do face and so what you've coated that's not really in any way what you call it no lockers down as an whole you've got all this what we are doing now is the public radically the education what I'm doing now is educating the public so that they do not have expectations beyond reality reality the fact is that we are not going around boosting and saying that we are achieving more than we actually are but we are achieving because the sector was down now you can see if you go on that Accra in some route you will see a whole lot of men in overalls you know yellow or red overalls working people can see for themselves we would live in along that stretch I'm more than happy to see that my own it of course is done when in the year budget the Finance Minister states that we have made a massive team from a dying colonial rail network that had been reenergized yeah and what people see in juice yeah it's the evidence of the reenergize absolutely the example in sight is the occuring someone right if they cannot use it it comes apart to have had the sector rally you know I think it's an unfair what I call it categorization because the a crisis that one is not the Alex you it is not the be-all and end-all of attainments which we have got every ability that Accra a Tama line we in fact guess what the a cry it's a warm line was not where you call it it was the case that we decided to close it because of the degraded infrastructure of course was closed in some cases 2017 big infrastructure it was a duty or derailment or anything but we were not going to wait until a disaster occurred before did that now having closed it with no prior budgetary what you call it specific budget allocation through that route remember say we have six phases first one is rehabilitation yeah and then you can only do so much with whatever allocation would like you said five hundred eighty millivolts released and how much was given about 400 million yes of which in all yes so far but in 2017 and 2018 as of September 20 dating there has been seven hundred and six million around sixty eight thousand and sixty five cities released to the sector in all me administrivia or the other things right that's the amount of money I'm talking about absolutely you're saying that this amount of money hasn't been able to extend to work required on the occurrence of stretch who season we have told you that work is ongoing yes but amongst about but remember of it that will get people interested and knowing that the work can also use it remember I said I the director of regulation assurance was out there recently because if you had a sector minister it was said that what you call the line was almost you know ready so remember it is one thing seeing that the line you know there's ballast a sleepers and this is a real track on it it's quite another thing for the Assessor ie the regulator who goes on scene and see certain things that need doing and we do not we really can't say yeah so we do not rush you know timetables railway and safety are bedfellows you can agree the absolute value so we will not be pressurized through the speed but public expectations and give you an unsafe railway not under - but unless the mission well I mean listen I can tell you how long we try the end of this year long Jesus how long is a piece of string in the path of the string precisely you know you have been there you have seen the real you have worked on it men who have done actually and then again when you quote all those sums yes I've indicated to you that for instance all the song you're talking about 20 million of that was used for new construction on the Western line I see yes 20 million of that was used and furthermore I it is not all just liner and then we've successfully completed the acreage Emeline we have done like I said quite a 60 0 to 80 percent or on the at Tech ready to to talk was stretch so it is it is a whole sister to tell me the peseta down on it well I mean talk us tricks when it comes to a cartel man what a grind I want to console me which is and I'm saying this because I know people can make easy reference to a Katya Mark ransom mmm they know them yeah they talk are the ones is basically you know goods and other things so some of us you don't have any history to it yeah so that's what maxing weather and up have caused people accent so when can the people move from and so on to occur using they were like they used to do some technical yes it is a what our goal our aim our dream to have that line where you call it in a safe State if you go there now you will see that yes all the line the line is there right up to noon someone but is that all you are after that there is a line level no to the consumer being able to apply the roots sits in the tree nicely is what they want exactly so I'm telling you why even though the line is done to is the one yet the regulator has not passed it so you a regulator it's a statutory bodies is the main inhibiting factor today well the fact that what you call settings / areas on the stretch need most fortification than very colder than the funds available have been able to provide so of course we will not just rush in open the door so Italia would depend on the availability of funds and there is a request in their budget which will definitely be on it because in 2019 yes I appreciate that and we are barely left to three months that we are thinking outside the box we the minister I'm sure in ourselves would find a way of settling that you know that that problem can the people of in some move to acquire via the particular tree roots by the end of this year I hope so but I don't have a firm commitment in it I cannot give you you know I'm I don't live in Utah I don't live in a utopia you know I'm a realist and I do not want any factor manufacture the main factor is that the line needs fortification certain areas where the budget cannot stretch I get your point I'll move beyond occurrence of yes because I mean that's a very interesting area to drill a little bit before I transition to other area because it's and I'm looking I'm talking about the northern part yet it's Western it's not looking at so far great now there's some back him up how different is a job from that of the minister and almost misses our for policy and general direction mm-hmm but how defined is your job from the other Minister beyond the policy path well I do not think that any sector is different any sector ministry yeah no matter you know what name he goes by is different in terms of its standing you know in within the public service and I can okay that ministries or ministers direct policy agencies comply with me Syria directives agencies do the running implementation of policy now let me get this also clarified in this case you did say and I've heard many talk about your authority has been both one that's engaged sometimes in development and other times in regulation is that not contradictory and conflicting in a sense you might be right in that regard yeah and yes in a properly set up when I said no advances in an advanced system will have a proper network really network you shouldn't have moved in one department of authority they regulate and a developer and that would change other plans to change that of course I mean that require because it's act seven seven nine the rule is act you know created this anomaly yeah so it will require the parliamentary amendment you know a bill in the orphan the premonition has that in your f---ing okay so we're never going to get that happening well it depends on parliamentary time Oh y'all ready later Billy Parliament well he he listen this is the minister site so I'm not going to plants bubbly this way I think it's almost like a red herring in our situation Oh to make it appear as if the the legal regime has anything to do with the power state of in my opinion it is not even a priority I know you a lawyer yes some complain that in anesthesia responsible for development yeah if quality regulation is problematic that that's what I wanted to get like yeah yeah I mean at the moment we are still at the scratching face oh yeah you know and for that matter in terms of prioritization it should be as regards you know getting monies funds to develop you know the new lines and to rehabilitate all lines because one of the achievements the ministry said they are done in the year 2018 going to 2019 in its planned budgets what they call it the program budget estimates is that it did a review of the gonna we will act at seven seven nine to pay for the restoration of the sector and creation of new agencies that's what's interesting when that review would finally make you do one and do it excellent as far as I know the minister is quite radically dedicated to this to this eventualities okay and I get you now we're talking about what's happening on the side to do it occur taqwa Kumasi stretch has to be fully renovated or rehabilitate after we we attack does that mean diem when when you talk about top one water no Western land yes so let's talk about aircraft yeah of course okay so a Western line start from at a party through to Kumasi that's it yeah yeah and they have told you that we are doing two things day one the rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge line and the construction of the new standard gauge line and of that I've told you that a Mandy are doing the first 22 kilometres will sign a contract with would you for the continuation from kilometer three up to 100 kilometres further forward you know and that's a donk oh and more definite stats it is projected for October 20 20 20 that is the what they call the would you want which is four kilometer 23 up to okay so by this time next year that is that is the projection October 2020 okay that doesn't wonderful show to know how far with the talk on integrated light system transit system yeah in that event you're talking about Accra and Kumasi now if you look at the must the master plan which I showed you yeah you see some bubbles now these bubbles the one a tamale the Aegean you know I say then there's one or second area cry and also oh yeah that's right admittedly this is the current master plan yeah remastered it's a review of the master plan and the review will take into consideration there's six new constituencies sorry a particular regions that have been created and so the bubbles actually denotes regional capitals or in their densities okay okay and but because of the scarcity of funds of course we need to prioritize which regional capitals you know would benefit more you know with the introduction of libraries and for that matter looking at Accra and Kumasi now with Coomassie we have already called a transaction advisor who is leading through the vertical feasibility studies because all of these things involve previous abilities that is and to see the cost the challenges before we then invite as it were interested bidders who would have a clearer picture problem about what the challenges are in front of them with Accra yeah you would have had about Sky train yes yes you would and the news reports are just we've launched Sky train we've actually talked about some amount of monies involved yes I'm just putting news reports what I can tell you yes and I said there's no contradiction there is that skytrain are doing feasibility studies after at the end of which yeah at the end of which what you call numbers you know who were crunched you know and they will see whether it it's a project that you know they do lie to you to pursue okay so that's betray we have not decided we are going to do skytrains yet we have this know you are making you are make stick in there that's not like skytrains sky - it s the name of a company now you said this guy crazy no I needed yeah so for example yeah I'm really from graphic tocando gee that's a nuts the government on Thursday design an argument with South African company Africa investment sky dream consortium right for the construction of the across sky dream projects that's it request imagine in this cases when are we going to do the project as six claim was nine months feasibility study period was given to sky dream okay at the end of which yeah because remember this is it's not our money but we have exceeded my my period no it was done in the favorite twins well it was a I do as extended it was a studies extended and so it is not completed yet and once they complete they are pre the feasibility studies then we'll be in a position to talk certainties okay so we don't know when that's gonna happen well you know we're talking about the end of the six-month period sorry nine-month period yeah at the end of that we will be able to talk certainly as you guys because once they take it up that okay we think that the numbers add up we can invest in this so when are we going to start construction if we had the money we can give you those days okay but sky trade s remember I said a company who are doing a feasibility study it is they and their bankers who at the end of their feasibility studies will do the call it's not alcohol the best record that I generate 2020 we should start a construction of the project has it changed now I'm not contradict a name at all because at the end of the day he's a he and I and I have reason to be optimistic the sky twin have done some little weight on their own before the official of this visit and they believe that the numbers will word other for them to do it so it's a confidence confidence talk yeah the question is whether in 2020 general who started construction in 2020 January one skytrains take up the challenge then we with the construction so there are so many other factors that may determine that happening at the end of the day it is not GU g-money yes so we cannot make that call to go to administer melee well I'm sure I'm sure he had he had reason to say what he said yeah do you have any reason to believe sketchy will fearless no not at all I don't have no in reason we're going to remember ideally like I said they came making a bidding even before anything was turn out to the public in terms of expressions of interest oh that's interesting yeah so they can make in a bidding and they like I said have done their own preliminary work and they believe that it would work out what's happening to the is still what's happening to the trans across and centralized trans it was you'd of read in the papers laughing last sorta last week or so the and MOU assigned between the ministry and what one group you know yes - do I miss an MOU and as you know that MOU at the end of all considerations if you know the thing it is something you would like to take up and we have done our due diligence on them and their capability to finance it then we proceed Kumar Singh to paga come on sit at central that's central spine yeah remember I said out of the 1 billion dollars the diminished Minister of Finance gave us from the two billion cdb loan the other 500 million was plowed into the central spine which is from Kumasi going toward the north and of course that will not go anywhere in terms of distance looking at the basis that ok it's a start so and there is a Chinese company called cccc we are plans to get MoMA sorry I mean that money will not reach enough so of course oh yeah well get the money for I mean we have three previous funding models we have got a beauty we've got PPP we've got even barter system is that a project that can see fruition of who can use this real line before the year 2020 ends 2020 which line I talked about yes c'mon see to Paulo we number one all of these things are there's a predicate that money must be the first instance yes China a radical has a promise released they the two billion dollars sketchy the man has not arrived yet until the money arrives we at the moment you know have an agreement in principle but and we have a contractor him you know who may be in place to take it out but the money has to come first my guest is to do on today's upfront is the man who spent 23 years in the UK working realize who is here to fix your realize his name is a Dumbo but this one is Richard but they don't Dumbo and we'll be talking about division to make sure that we have a once again functioning real system in this country after the break we'll continue our conversation this is upfront my name is Raymond aqua and the conversation be having tonight is what's been happening to our railway sector I did read to you what the promise was to revive the sector given life bring it back to prominence so that people can have the transportation they used to have some time ago and I'm accident today with the man who is living and spearheading efforts in the area at the Ghana will with Development Authority he's Richard did on Dumbo and IB action after seven hundred and six million Ghana Cedis how much of that has really seen transformation on the ground what has happened to a review system after government devoted and released surveillance six million Ghana Cedis into the particular sector if we part of this conversation be talking about what's been happening on a cartomizer we'll be talking about what's been happening on the Easton line and the Western line then we left off on the point to do with what they call the central spine which is Coomassie to paga see what's been happening on that particular stretch to you will come back once you thank you now there's another important one that is dear to government's hat Tamar impacted on the last conversation government put out there was about something get meta communities to intensify smooth implementation or that 97 kilometers one how far with our project um I'm a very far advanced very far advanced at the moment they they have laid actually laid trucks 2424 kilometers of it have been laid it's not being with our challenges and the challenges is not technical Cherokees is all about land acquisition oh yeah and encroachment on really right-of-way so with that the the the contract effectiveness was from July 2018 for three-year period which means July 20 21 but the contractor is confident and I am confident because of the work that is being done that they will be able to deliver by June 2020 okay yeah and like I said as of as of now about 24 kilometres of real have actually been late that's the one Ted of it that's about one third of it and the rest of it with like I said we still overcoming issues of encroachment because indeed the the issue of about the way engagements with communities what store the Pablo why haven't we been able to move them there are two issues here there is the issue of encroachment and this issue of a executive instrument using that to acquire compose relief you yeah okay with the e I there's no issue because there is compensation yeah Danis done so you know you will have to go because any clatter you pay them you will get you the last Commission go to do the evaluation and then we pay you okay but the issue is with our sensitivity because we we the competence with community engagement team comes in ie we are not going in like a bull in a china shop we are not insensitive to the communities that the line is traversing and for that matter even where it is our land and there there are 26 kilometers of land from from Chama flew to around Athena that's about 26 kilometers all that is existing rear wheel and our W right-of-way today because the sector was dead for income as well as long as it was a whole lot of encroachment took place and there are you know we have of course the ministers issue this edit and a lot basically told them that if you are encroaching will demolish you you get new composition now there are some areas where there are particular issues of sensitivity where we've had to bring in the McD's you know the Chiefs and whatnot indicate yes it is real wetland yes we have the right to evict you with a compensation you know but we want to see how much we can accommodate you because we're entitled to 100 feet at the end of draw a line okay but out of the goodness of our heart we we've agreed to reduce the down to about 50 feet of the Dutch club 115 is actually a corridor in the corridor yes is the corner purchased under the colonial yes that so what's the big deal with having to revise it that was it's huge because of the level of encroachment okay we just move them we are to you know we could eat your pie did it we put this very risk to that it's not 50 50 kilometer 15 meter at 50 feet away is c7.r okay I see but the corridor as big as it would be would be a source of revenue in terms of if you see developed countries the recorders you know areas of advertisement areas of as well called Associated Grid infrastructure the report from the Ministry suggests as of September 2018 70% of the land required had been acquired today how much has been acquired as for us I'm gonna saying we have got 100% 100% are quietly acquired so what we have now is issue of landscape machine and their valuation okay and that is the issue but not the issue of whether or not the lana's we made because the contract effectiveness has to do with you giving land to the contractor pay the contractual stipulations seventy specified estate 100 percent by these dates now the of our completion projects as of September 28th is to that 25 percent what is the percentage today of completion like I said about 24 kilometres of actual rail what does that translate into in terms of percentage as of 97 well because they you know talk about related tracks and I get you know their whole lot of other either infrastructure work that that will indicate that there is progress so in terms of progress you can see where we are close to 80 percent in progress by chance of actual truck lane yeah do the sums in terms of 24 kilometres out of 97 okay so right away okay so we are 24 percent or 25 percent actually that's what the engine is that September 2018 not much of changed absolutely a lot of thing as of September 2018 the minister's reports suggest that as of September 28 years the overall completion of the project stood at 25 percent today what you tell me about the stretch completion it stood around 24.7 confusing to items I say the actual truck lane is that 25 percent what the minutes I talked about was not truck lane he said overall truck completion and I did tell you that in the real construction it's not all about just it bit roughly I guess yes and so so suma bleah the completion would have to be way lower than the actually no no completion is actually higher than the actual truck lane because what the minister talked about 35% and in that regard we are over 60% now that is the track lane know what the minister's daughter was not translating he never completely current project yes stands at 25 I say reject yes the project does not specify truck lane it's part off okay and so I'm telling you that that statement is correct yeah and that's improved beyond that 25 percent to over 60 percent now 60 percent overall on this term impact Adam a Kosovo used to because some love the light year now there's an interesting roots the interconnectivity projects job Okinawa so yeah how far with that right we on that one in fact a team in times of war savuti NOFA so last week on that one we are down to over four four bidders from from any initial eleven there about eleven two of their lives now we're down to four we are confident but before the year years and that probably will have a preferred when you call the contractor but what is happening is that because of the sheer volume of that project you know talking are close to 800 kilometres and quantify that for an average of four million times that we're talking about close to four billion billion dollars okay so we are moving steadily steadily and cautiously in the sense that of the four remaining we are not rushing to just say oK you've you've met all technical specifications and financial and paper business we are do due diligence on duis fall and once we are set a certain that those four can all progress to the next stage okay you know and and and and take the financial box as well then we then the the processes will continue apace speed trains here in the studio in fact he called the bullet trains the man dr. Mensa Tom Thomas Meza mm-hmm give an elaborate plan on how this but classist ever supposed to work out nicely mm-hmm a system he feels does a way forward for Ghana and others already implementing it and said of course the country can travel within a very short distance has his idea being inculcated into your work yet are you building speed trains anytime soon let me actually once let me assure you that in this sector we aim yeah a whole lot of ideas come up okay a whole lot so this is maybe this stood out because he's dr. Thomas Mensa yes but it is not as if we are not ambitious it is not nothing to do a mission in fact we have improved our speed a limit I catch you we did not you have taken up this no no no we have not taken up that so you go to build speeches for than yesterday time soon let me tell you what did I just say about the average cost of a of a kilometre expensive so but that is for normal high speed what you could work is very much high speed yeah the infrastructure for high speed train is absolutely and totally different from you know speeds of up to one resistor so it's just cost-effective for that is like that let me tell you something I watering it would cost you know less about tectum million dollars per kilo meter to construct high-speed rain and perhaps between line well there you go so it is for a country whose GDPs yes over 40 something billion you know and then we're talking about high speed high speed to way in there anyway is that from the south to the north my point if at the moment we have a train and we the old lines that we have we're going like 60 kilometers at most 80 they even when talk about a sleeper that's probably going like 50 kilometres per hour well we've elevated the speed to 160 kilometers per hour are we ready for the high speed trains not a me listen you have to learn to crawl to stand to walk to run you cannot get start from 0 to 100 I got you you understand especially where you are constrained by finance my last question to you is what's the biggest achievement of your sector today the river sector or the authority more importantly yeah the authority yes my heritage I waited I was not fit for peppers just about 11 personnel who suddenly couldn't do the work that it is legally mandated to do you know so I started off by taking a an overview of of the organic ground with a cell with the assistance of Public Service Commission we not have an optimum number of 78 you know two is not a functional you know really a service so have requested engineers in-house now you know and and we're able to by the end of 2020 wash will be your biggest achievement by the end of 2020 the authority or the sector the authority the authority by the end of 2020 I should have had my full complement of staff who will be able to complement the work that is being done by independent correr consultants at the moment I get your point but the entire sector in terms of the entire sector we would have had hoped the completion of the Tama radically on packet online we all had the commencement what you call of the the central spine we would have had the commencement of the eastern line we would have had what you call the the the commencement of body with the 23 on the western line we would have completed rehabilitation of the rehab it does lines are required rehabilitation we would have as it were a struck ground for the commencement of metro lines in Kumasi and Accra we see this gives you a way to call it a clear picture that we have a basket of activities you know we are not just that's why that's why are your trending Fitness that's why I will know but I refuse to be button hold on let's say Accra is the one because I know where do I get yeah do you want to be President do I want to be present yes absolutely not I mean USD doubles son but my father is no precedent yes Rafa was no president but there may be less in the Boogedy chef clearly you are one of them but there has nothing to do presidency aback see whether I want to be present I don't aspire to that why because it is not my calling I am I have a politician but it o is not my calling I do I don't intend to be a president many times you for watching [Music]

Channel: JoyNews

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Id: YsuJ_PNjxbA

Length: 53min 27sec (3207 seconds)

Published: Thu Oct 17 2019