Skytrain for Kumasi metropolis

A South African company is to construct a sky train in the Kumasi Metropolis. Estimated at US$170 million, the project is to be funded by Standard Bank of South Africa and will be constructed by the Skytrain Construction Company in South Africa.

It will be on the build operate and transfer (BOT) system.

Skytrain is a light rapid transit metro system which uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks.

It runs mostly on elevated guideways, which gives passengers views across the city and helps them move faster across it.

This is to help ease the traffic congestion in the metropolis, as well as enhance easy and fast transportation of people from one part of the city to another.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Kojo Bonsu, who disclosed this, said the assembly had endorsed the project and forwarded the proposal to the ministries of Finance and Justice on the terms of the contract to be signed for the project to begin.

Meet-the-press

The MCE was speaking at the ‘meet the people’ forum at Tafo/Pankrono Sub-metro in Kumasi.

The meet-the-people series is a regular meeting of the MCE with residents in the various sub-metros in the city to listen to their views and challenges, which will help the assembly in its planning towards the development of the metropolis.

As soon as the project is approved by the various ministries, the contractors will commence work.

It will have various stations across the metropolis so that passengers can board or alight when necessary.

Development

On the issue of the Kumasi Airport rehabilitation, Mr Bonsu said the facility would be improved to enhance its operations to facilitate the transportation of both human and cargo to and from the region.

The MCE called for attitudinal change by the people in the metropolis since the major challenge confronting the city was the disregard for laws and by-laws, leading to disorder there.

A modern market is to be put up at Tafo soon while plans are far advanced for the fencing of the Tafo cemetery to stop criminals and drug addicts from using the place for their activities.

The Chief of Tafo, Nana Agyin Frimpong Ababio, who chaired the function, lamented the behaviour of the Lands Commission, which usually releases government and stool lands to private individuals and urged the government to watch the commission’s operations as they prolonged litigation.

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