Present State of Operations of the Railways

Unfortunately, due to several decades of neglect and underfunding, the rail network in Ghana is completely broken down, except for partial freight services on the Western line. Signal and communication equipment are obsolete and inoperable, track infrastructure and rolling stock have deteriorated considerably. Where lines have remained unused for years, (since 1989 in some cases) encroachment has taken place.

The network has not been operated for more than 12 years and would now require complete re-construction in order to restore services. One-third of the operable system provides services on the Western Line (dedicated to the transport of manganese). Rolling stock is poorly maintained and much of the stock has remained unusable for years due to lack of spares.

Freight services on the Western Line are the primary reason for the railway's continued existence. Peak operations can see an average of eight loaded trains a day carrying mineral exports to Takoradi Port, including two trains of bauxite from Awaso (236 km) and six trains of manganese ore from Nsuta (60 km). Both minerals are top-loaded at the mines and discharged by tipplers at the port.

Currently train movements are unpredictable and unlikely to achieve forecasted peak figures. When trains do run, safety is a major concern because of the lack of secure signaling and the very poor condition of the track and rolling stock. However, both the bauxite and manganese mining companies are reported to be keen to increase their output but are limited by the current restricted capacity. Potential haulage of up to about 1.5million tones of bauxite and 2.0million tones of manganese have been the targets of the mines to which the railways does not have the capacity to achieve. The western corridor has in addition the future availability of other freight cargo including petroleum products, bauxite from Nyinahini, Cocoa, flour and cement products from various parts of the Western Region to and from Takoradi and Accra-Tema