Ghana's First Electric Light Rail Transportation system
Kumasi is set to become the first city in Ghana to have an Electric Light Rail Transportation (Tram System) as part of the Ghana government's effort to ease traffic congestion in the capital city. Also known as the Tram System, it is one of the sophisticated systems of transport found mostly in Europe.
This type of transportation system operates on a rail that travels on tramway tracks on a public urban street. The tram technology is currently being developed by Knights a.s. of the Czech Republic in collaboration and cooperation with the Ministry of Railway Development of Ghana.
This was made known by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Knights, Dr Karl Laryea, at the launch of the company's 25th anniversary in Accra.
According to Dr Laryea, the tram system would operate three main lines aimed at decongesting the city of Kumasi and pave way for easy flow of traffic.
The tram system, he said, would reduce travel time and improve the quality of the mode of travel currently available to commuters in Kumasi.
To make this project a success, Dr Laryea said there was the need for a massive transfer of know-how to indigenes who would manage the tram system when built.
"In this regard; Knights a.s. of the Czech Republic has facilitated the signing of an MoU between the KNUST and the Czech Technical University in Prague for Ghanaian professors and technicians to be trained in the Czech Republic who would intend teach Ghanaian students in the Engineering and Transportation faculties of the KNUST how to operate and maintain the tram system," he said.
Throwing more light on some of the technologies the company had developed to enhance Ghana's economy, Dr Laryea said it had also developed a complete poultry project with breeder farms, a complete hatchery of over 20 million eggs for day old chicks, feed mill and a 16,500 birds capacity processing plant per hour.
"This facility when built would produce 30 per cent of the poultry meat consumed in Ghana locally, thereby reducing our dependence on foreign imports and supplies and creating jobs for the teeming youth of the country," he said.
Already, Dr Laryea said the company in 2019 signed an Export Contract Agreement with the Ministry of Roads and Highways, for the finance, design, fabrication, supply and installation of 50 composite modular steel bridges in all the 16 regions of Ghana."The 50 modular bridges project with a contract sum of 47.5 million Euros, is the largest single contract supervised by Knights Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the company, till date," he said.
According to Dr Laryea, the bridge project were at various stages of completion and project were on schedule to be completed by May 2023.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwesi Amoako Atta, commended Knights.a.s for their contribution to Ghana's economic growth. He said with the support and assistance from the company, Ghana had benefited from a number of interest free loans which had led to the establishment of many projects, particularly the bridge projects.
For his part, the Trade Attache at the Czech Embassy in Ghana, Mr Matej Denk, said the Czech government was more committed in deepening their partnership with Ghana.
