At present, the Ministry of Railways development in Ghana and the Ministry of Transport are considering implementing a new light rail transport systém in two of Ghana's largest cities, Accra and Kumasi. Considering the activities of other competing companies in Accra, it was agreed to focus primarily on Kumasi.

The visit of Mr. Jan Kořínek, director of Novako EU, and Zdeněk Richter, technical director of the company, accompanied by director of Knights a.s. Dr. Karl Laryea was the next step of a consortium of Czech companies to implement the tram system (TS) in Ghana.

The project began in 2011, when Czech company Inekon signed a TS feasibility study for Accra. However, due to lack of finances, it was never implemented. The idea was taken into consideration with the new government in 01/2017, followed by a visit of Minister of Roads and Highways of Ghana, Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Attah to the Czech Republic on 06/18. Due to a very good impression about the tram system in Prague, minister Amoako-Attah invited Czech investors to Ghana to implement the same systém in Accra and Kumasi. Coincidentally representatives of the Czech Export Bank (CEB) visited Ghana in October 2018 and expressed their intention to financially support projects in Ghana. Due to such favourable circumstances a consortium of the following Czech companies was established in the Czech Republic at the end of last year:

• Pragoimex a.s. - supplier of trams
• Metroprojekt Praha a.s. - supplier of a feasibility study
• Elektroline a.s. - supplier of superstructure (traction lines, structures, etc.)
• Moravia Steel a.s. - rail supplier
• Knights a.s. - supplier of sleepers, bedrock and a consortium representative in Ghana

The leader of the consortium was appointed company Novako EU s.r.o. with its representative in Ghana, company Knights a.s.

The work program of the delegation was launched on February 19, 2019 by a visit to Deputy Minister of Railway Development, Hon. Anda Kwame Appiah-Kubi. Czech Ambassador to Ghana Margita Fuchsova and commercial councelor Tomas Zazvorka introduced the interest of the Czech consortium in the TS project in Ghana and informed about the intention to cooperate with local companies in project implementation, to train ghanaian experts in the Czech Republic and to establish a transport faculty at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST) in order to educate maintenance and development experts of TS. The intention of transfer the tram production know-how to Ghana in the future was also mentioned. The representatives of Novako EU informed about the financial coverage through CEB and handed over the promotional material. Deputy Minister Kubi expressed his request to visit the Czech Republic and to see the qualities of TS in the Czech Republic and said that if the references and financial coverage were in order, the Memorandum of Understanding could be signed.

The next item on the agenda was a brief visit to Minister of Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Attah. Ambassador Fuchsová presented the delegation and thanked the Minister for positive references to TS in the Czech Republic. She appreciated his efforts to cooperate with Knights / MCE Slaný in delivering steel bridges to Ghana. Minister Attah thanked for his visit, informing that he would support the consortium's efforts with his colleagues in the government and hopes that the negotiations on the supply of bridges are only the beginning of long-term cooperation between the Czech Republic and Ghana.

The program on February 19, 2019 was completed with a visit to the Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, who was informed by Ambassador Fuchsová about the intention of this delegation to participate in the TS project and related benefits in terms of job creation and cooperation with local companies and the university. Minister Asiamah then expressed his interest in coming to the Czech Republic together with the Minister of Railway Development to inspect the TS in Czech Republic and individual companies of the konsorcium.

On February 21, 2019, the delgates traveled to Kumasi to meet with the Deputy Regional Minister, Hon. Elizabeth Agyeman and Director of the Regional Coordination Center, MsEmelia Ayebeng Botchway. The councelor Zázvorka introduced madam Botchway the delegation, the consortium's interest in building a TS in Kumasi, and in particular the above-mentioned benefits for the whole Kumasi region. He also informed about another intention of Czech entities to build a Czech Technology Park in the area of the former Baťa shoe factory (now Dihoc Footwear Division Ltd.). Novako EU representatives then announced their intention to create partner cities between Brno and Kumasi. Brno intends to help Kumasi in solving problems with waste management, transport in terms of tram system and tourism.

In the afternoon, the delegation met at KNUST University with its vice-rector, prof. Rita Akosua Dickson. The Counselor Zázvorka reiterated the consortium's intention to build in Kumasi TS, collaborate with KNUST experts on the feasibility study of the system, as well as on the training of KNUST transport faculty students in the Czech Republic and on the internship of transport faculty of České Vysoké Učení Technické on KNUST. Professor Dickson welcomed the offer of cooperation and assured the support of the whole project, including cooperation on the optimal TS route.

 

The following day, the entire delegation, led by Ambassador Fuchsová, was taken by

in his royal palace in Kumasi. After the opening ceremonies, the Ambassador presented the members of her delegation, the purpose of the visit and briefly reported on the project's contribution to the region. She also drew attention to other Czech investments in Kumasi, such as the revitalized shoe factory, the tropical fruit machinery in KNUST and the forthcoming poultry processing plant project. At the end, the Ambassador commemorated the 60-year anniversary of cooperation between the two countries and invited King Tutu II to visit the Czech Republic. In response to the speech of Ambassador Fuchsová, the King Tutu II appreciated the Czech investors' initiative so far, welcomed the intention of the Czech consortium to build in the Kumasi TS and highlighted future cooperation with KNUST and the creation of new job opportunities in TS operation and maintenance. King Tutu II thanked for the invitation and informed visitors that he had already visited Czech Republic when buying tractors ZETOR . Finally, King Tutu II urged the TS feasibility study for Kumasi to be carried out as quickly as possible, to show the project's feasibility, optimal route management, associated requirements and expected costs. He also pointed out that the guarantor of the return on financing from the Czech Republic and at the same time TS operator should be a public-private company, so that all its members are accountable and interested in the proper and economically favorable functioning of the system.

On Saturday, February 23, 2019, members of the consortium agreed to organize a visit of the Minister of Railway Development and Minister of Transport of Ghana in the Czech Republic at the beginning of April 2019.