India-based AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, the company constructing the Tema-Mpakadan rail line has revealed that since the commencement of the project, about 100,000 Ghanaians have been engaged.

Vice President at AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, Udai Veer Singh, said this forms part of efforts towards empowering indigenes in the area where it implements its projects.

“Presently on the entire project, more than hundred thousand local people have been employed. This was a new technology for the area. Although Ghana was having the railway system on its map, it was not operational.”

The Tema-Mpakadan rail line is part of the 1,000km Ghana-Burkina Faso Railway Interconnectivity Project which will link Ghana from Tema to Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou.

The project is being funded by the Indian EXIM BANK at $447 million.

Mr Singh expressed confidence that enough knowledge transfer would have occurred by the completion of the project.

“We had some only specialists from outside the country but all people who are working there are the local people only. Here also, all the track we are laying, all the people are local people, so they got engaged, equipped with the new kind of technique and new kind of workmanship which means they should be able to help in the long run because when this sector opens up people will be required for its operations and maintenance.”

“So the people who engaged the local people right from day one with us and got the expertise, they (the local people) will take advantage of that,” he added.

The Senior Executive of AFCONS shared this information during an inspection of the project by the Sector Minister, John Peter Amewu.

The Minister who was impressed with the rate of work expressed confidence that it will be completed by November this year.