The government will continue with the development of an integrated rail, inland water and road transport system to ease pressure on the country’s highways and decongest the road network.

The Minister of Transport, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, said the initiative formed part of the government’s strategy to develop a multimodal transport network that would make inland water transport a critical component of Ghana’s cargo movement system.

“Our thinking is to decongest the Port of Tema by creating a multimodal transport system. Goods will move by rail from Tema to Mpakadan, continue by lake transport to Buipe, and then be transported by road to other parts of northern Ghana and the landlocked neighbours,” Mr Nikpe said.

He said this when he paid a working visit to Volta Lake Transport Limited (VLTL) to inspect work towards the establishment of a new port to complement the existing facility.

Under the proposed system, containers from Tema would be transported by rail to Mpakadan, transferred onto barges on the Volta Lake to Buipe, and then conveyed by road to northern Ghana and landlocked countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Mr Nikpe said the system would provide a cost-effective means of transporting cargo, reduce congestion on the highways and prolong the lifespan of roads.

As part of the plan, he announced the government’s intention to construct a port at Mpakadan to facilitate the transfer of containers and cargo from trains onto barges operating on the Volta Lake.

He explained that the facility would serve as an interchange between rail and inland water transport, enabling containers arriving from Tema to be efficiently transferred onto lake vessels bound for Buipe and beyond.

Mr Nikpe described the Volta Lake as one of Ghana’s greatest underutilised national assets and said the government was determined to unlock its economic potential through investment in ports, barges and cargo-handling infrastructure.

He said the development would also create opportunities for trade, agriculture, warehousing, tourism and transport services along the lake.

The Minister commended the management and staff of VLTL for their dedication and resilience despite operational challenges and urged them to maintain the momentum as the government worked to revitalise the company.

He expressed confidence that the transformation would make VLTL one of the country’s most viable transport agencies within two years.

The staff of VLTL expressed appreciation to Mr Nikpe for visiting the facility, describing the engagement as historic.

They said he was the first Transport Minister to visit the facility in about 10 years and that the visit had boosted their morale and confidence in the future of the company.

They assured the Minister of their commitment to supporting the government’s vision of revitalising inland water transport.

The proposed intermodal system is expected to reduce cargo transportation costs and turnaround time while minimising the concentration of heavy-duty trucks on Ghana’s highways.

It is also expected to improve connectivity for communities along the Volta Lake and strengthen Ghana’s trade links with neighbouring landlocked countries.

Mr Nikpe said the government’s investment in inland water transport was aimed at making the Volta Lake an engine for trade, industry and sustainable national development.