Dr Frederick Appoh is the CEO of the Ghana Railways Development Authority
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railways Development Authority (GRDA), Dr Frederick Appoh, has disclosed that until the stolen tracks on the Nsawam-Accra railway line are replaced, the Authority will not be able to run operations on the lines.
Since he assumed office in February this year, Dr Appoh noted that the challenges facing his outfit, which is mandated to carry out developmental projects in the sector, has been saddled with debts while the dismantling of rail tracks continue to hamper the progress of the work being done.
“I inherited debts when I came to office but that will be left for another day, however the stealing of rail tracks has affected our operations in some parts of the country,” he stated in an interview with Piesie Okrah on Dwaboase on TV XYZ.
Asked when the railway line from Nsawam to Accra will be in use to help reduce traffic congestion on the main road, Dr Appoh noted that until the stolen tracks are replaced, the railway line cannot be operationalised.
“The tracks have been stolen on some parts of the line and we are investigating. EOCO and National Security operatives have taken over the matter and we will see prosecutions very soon. We can only put the lines to use when we are able to replace them,” he stated.
“The railway tracks were stolen under the previous government…Some of the orders to pull them off were given by the Ministry of Railways and some from the GRDA,” he said.
“The tracks were sold while the revenue accrued could not be properly accounted for. These railway lines that were taken off from some parts of the country’s railway lines were sold to scrap dealers,” Dr Appoh noted and went on to bemoan the rationale behind the dismantling of the tracks.
Train station at Kotoku along the Nsawam-Accra railway line left to rot
The Authority is not clear on when the stolen tracks will be replaced but the CEO is optimistic their plans for running the railway lines in Accra, including the newly constructed Tema- Mpakadan railway, will be operationalised soon.
He also called on the citizenry to report such theft cases to the police for onward action, announcing that an inter-ministerial taskforce will be formed soon to protect railway lines and other properties under his care.
Shuttle services on the Accra-Nsawam railway line were truncated about four years ago to enable rehabilitation of rail lines as the coaches frequently derail, but the work has since been completed as some of the tracks in the Achimota area have been removed, making it impossible for the railway lines to be used.
Last year, the Minister of Finance, Mohammed Amin Adam during the presentation of the 2024 mid-year fiscal policy review in Parliament indicated on page 95 of his speech that the Nsawam-Accra-Tema railway is completed and in use.
Contrary to the claim by the past government, checks show that materials procured by government for the rehabilitation of the railway lie fallow while metal beams serving as rail line has been removed and sold as scraps
Getting the railway industry on its feet again, Dr Appoh emphasised the need for a public private partnership (PPP), explaining that the government was not in the position to entirely revamp the sector.
“Plans have been made to get private investors to collaborate with the government to revamp the sector and ensure that commuters in areas with railways can have options when travelling,” he added.
