Ghana: Engineering Body Calls For Underground Rail System To Tackle Urban Congestion

Ghana should begin planning for an underground urban rail transportation system to ease congestion in its major cities and meet the country’s long-term infrastructure needs, the president of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-GH), Engr. Wonder Salami Davor, said on Friday.

Speaking at an induction ceremony for newly inducted engineers in Accra, Davor said rapid urbanisation, traffic congestion, long commuting times, rising fuel consumption and pollution were imposing significant economic and social costs on Ghana.

The ceremony, held at the Ghana Shippers Authority building in Accra, was themed: “Engineering Ghana’s Future: Innovation, Integrity and Sustainable Development.”

“I therefore wish to place before this gathering a bold proposition for national consideration: Ghana should begin seriously planning for an underground urban rail transportation system, beginning with our most congested metropolitan corridors,” he said.

Davor said the proposed underground rail network should be integrated with existing road and surface transportation systems and designed to serve Ghana’s transportation needs over the next 30, 50 and 100 years.

Such a system could reduce congestion, improve mobility, lower emissions and ease pressure to continually expand roads in densely populated urban areas, he said.

The proposal would require innovative financing mechanisms, transparent procurement, high engineering and safety standards, local capacity development and sustained political commitment, Davor said.

He urged the newly inducted engineers to play a leading role in addressing Ghana’s infrastructure challenges, saying the country needed professionals who could “think differently, design boldly, act ethically and deliver solutions that stand the test of time.”

Davor also warned engineers against compromising professional standards through corruption, unsafe practices or conflicts of interest.

“Engineering without integrity can become a danger to society,” he said, urging engineers to protect the public interest and reject unsafe practices even when doing so may come at a cost.

Ghana’s future infrastructure should also reflect the principles of sustainable development by being environmentally responsible, economically viable, socially inclusive and resilient to climate change, he said.

“The future of Ghana will not be engineered by governments alone. It will not be engineered by politicians alone. It will be engineered by competent, courageous and ethical professionals working together in the national interest,” Davor said.

The IET-GH president challenged engineers to move beyond maintaining existing systems and focus on innovative solutions to the country’s development challenges.

Engineering innovation should help create jobs, strengthen local manufacturing, modernise infrastructure and develop technologies suited to Ghana’s environment, he said.