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Ghana is to build a high speed rail system from Kumasi to Tamale and Kumasi-Accra, under a public-private partnership arrangement, to provide impetus to the nation’s socio-economic growth.

Dr. Thomas Mensah, United States (US)-based renowned Ghanaian scientist and inventor, who is leading the effort said the project would start, next year.

He added that some Chinese engineering companies and engineers from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) would work together to erect the electric railway lines for high speed trains.

Dr. Mensah, a Fellow of the American National Academy of Inventors (NIA) said discussions had already been held with government officials and stakeholders.

There had also been a Chinese delegation to the country and he said the project was going to generate significant employment for the youth particularly, engineering graduates.

Dr. Mensah was delivering a paper at the 10th R.P. Baffour Memorial Lectures in Kumasi, held under the theme; “Moving Ghana into the 21st century through modern infrastructure development”.

The annual lecture is meant to honor the memory of Dr. Robert Patrick Baffour, first Vice Chancellor of the KNUST.

He indicated that the economic benefits from investment in high speed rail system could be enormous and should be made an urgent national priority.

“It is the technology needed to avoid preventable road crashes and to facilitate economic activities.”

“We should stop sleeping and begin to face the realities - how technology is changing the face of the world”, he added.

He made reference to Japan, which had been operating the high speed rail system for 45 years without any accident.

African countries taking advantage of this system include Ethiopia and Morocco.

Dr. Mensah, internationally acknowledged as an authority in fiber optics and nanotechnology, blamed the nation’s slow pace of development on technological gap.

He spoke of how nanotechnology was helping to transform the world - assisting developed countries to improve on the aviation, telecommunication and manufacturing industries.

Dr. Mensah hinted of the acquisition of a 25, 000 acre land at Jachie-Pramso in the Bosomtwe District to construct facilities to promote nanotechnology with particular reference to the aviation industry.

Emeritus Professor Kwame Sarpong, Chairman of the University Council, paid tribute to the late Dr. Baffour for his dedication to science and technology education.

He said the lecture provides the platform to share knowledge and to discuss workable solutions to the nation’s development challenges.