The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, has underscored the transformative benefits Ghana could derive from strategic partnerships with the Republic of Korea’s RailRoad Research Institute, describing railway connectivity as a critical driver of industrialisation and local economic development.
He made the remarks during a courtesy visit by Ms. Boyeon Choe, representing the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), where discussions centred on Ghana’s infrastructure priorities and sectors requiring targeted intervention.
Dr. Thompson noted that Ghana’s railway system, once a backbone of the colonial and early post-independence economy, has suffered decades of underinvestment, policy discontinuity and operational decline. Large sections of the national rail network remain either non-functional or underutilised, limiting efficient movement of goods and people, increasing logistics costs, and constraining industrial growth, particularly in mining, agriculture and manufacturing hubs that depend on reliable transport infrastructure.
Drawing contrasts, he pointed to South Korea’s railway success story, where sustained investment in research, innovation and integrated transport planning has enabled rail infrastructure to support rapid industrialisation, urban connectivity and export competitiveness. Korea’s model, he said, demonstrates how evidence-based research can shape policy, align infrastructure with industrial strategy, and position transport systems as catalysts for regional development rather than mere transit networks.
“There is a lot Ghana can learn from Korea’s railway research ecosystem how research informs policy, how infrastructure supports industry, and how transport becomes a catalyst for local development,” Dr. Thompson observed, adding that collaboration and structured knowledge-sharing could help Ghana advance its own railway revival agenda.
Ghana’s medium- to long-term development plans identify rail expansion as a priority, particularly to support mineral transport, agribusiness value chains and emerging industrial corridors under the country’s broader industrialisation drive.
In her remarks, Ms. Choe reaffirmed KOICA’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s development priorities, especially projects that deliver tangible, community-level impact. She highlighted the success of previous Korean-supported interventions in Ghana and expressed optimism about expanding initiatives that demonstrate clear results.
“Our experience has shown that when projects are well-designed and grounded in local needs, they can deliver strong results. Where current projects are successful, we are open to exploring a second phase or scaling up infrastructure support,” she said.
Ms. Choe further announced KOICA’s Local Economic Development Project, scheduled to commence in 2026, which will focus on strengthening agribusiness value chains across selected communities. The initiative aligns with Ghana’s broader agenda of promoting job creation, value addition and inclusive growth, reinforcing the role of infrastructure, research and international cooperation in driving sustainable national development.
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