Government exploring ways of extending railway system to the North

The Government is pursuing vigorously the dream of expanding the present railway system to the North and lend support to efforts to connect to Cote D'Ivoire, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the Western Regional

Minister, Mr Joseph B. Aidoo at the second working group meeting of the Union of African Railways (UAR) at Takoradi on Wednesday.

These expansions and inter connections, he said, would open up the markets in the Sub-Region to accelerate the realisation of the ECOWAS Protocol on the free and easy movement of goods and people.

Mr Aidoo said railways has a bright future and there was the need to take advantage of the many opportunities that would be created when the government's

"Golden Age of Business" finally starts bearing fruits.

The Secretary-General of UAR, Dr Bernard Zoba expressed the hope that

African Governments would continue to support rail transport with the view to enhancing economic development and interaction among the people.

He said with the advent globalisation, the railway sector was expected to play a major role in the future of African states.

Mr Rufus Quaye, Deputy Managing Director in charge of Administration and

Operations of Ghana Railway Corporation, advised the delegates to work to propel African Railways to the heights that the founding fathers dreamt of.

Delegates from 15 African States are attending the three-day international meeting.

The UAR, established in Addis Ababa in September 1972, is a specialised agency of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) responsible for co-ordinating railway transport development on the Continent.