GRC workers express worry over delayed report After malfeasance allegations against Rufus Quaye

WORKERS of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC) have expressed grave worry over the delay in the presentation of a report to the government, by the committee investigating allegations of financial malfeasance and other matters against the former Managing Director (MD) of the company, Mr. Rufus Quaye.

The General Secretary of the GRC Workers Union, Mr. Daniel Kingsford Esso, who disclosed this to The Chronicle in an interview, added that the delay by the committee to present its report was raising anxiety and suspicions among the entire workers of the company, and was as well retrogressing the spate of development within the company.

Mr. Esso, who justified the worry being expressed by the workers, noted that the workers had a cause to express worry over the committee's delay, because after over one year that the committee was set up, it had failed to present its report for the workers to know the next line of action, with respect to the growth of the company.

According to him, if the report is presented early, it would ease the anxiety and suspicions of the workers, who believe that the committee was deliberately delaying the presentation of its report to shield someone.

A member of the committee, who did not want to be named, responding to the concern in an interview with this reporter, told this paper that the committee was still compiling its report, and pleaded with the workers to exercise patience.

The member also parried a suggestion that the delay of the committee to present its report was as a result of the committee's decision to shield a particular individual the report might indict.

It would be recalled that the government called for investigations into allegations of financial malfeasance against the former Managing Director of the GRC, when the workers embarked on three month strike action.

Meanwhile, the difficulties facing the GRC seem not to want to go away.

After the management of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) exacerbated the woes of cash-strapped GRC by seizing its three Tata vehicles on the orders of a Sekondi High Court, for defaulting in payment of workers SSNIT contributions, credible information reaching this paper indicates that the company now finds itself in another 'fatal' situation, which could eventually collapse the company, and in the end prevent its coaches from working to make capital for the company.

Rail scramps, which are used by the trains for the hauling of manganese and other commodities, are being removed and sold to unknown persons.

Sources close to the Railway Security Task Force Team (RSTFT), who confirmed the story to this paper in separate interviews, added that they were taken aback when they saw a contractor removing the rail scramps at Sekondi, near Western Castings Limited. According to the Task Force Team, when they confronted the said contractor, whose name the Task Force could not readily give to this paper, the contractor replied that he had permission from the Transport Minister to remove the scramps.

What is more, according to the Task Force, the said contractor told them that he had a special letter from the sector Minister to undertake the removal of the rail scramps. Though the Task Force admitted to this paper that the Western Casting rail line scramps were no more used by the train, the belief was that the Task Force could remove the scramps to patch up other rail scramps which have developed cracks and were dangerous to coaches plying on it.

The Task Force Team, which has the oversight responsibility of seeing to the fact that rail lines were in safe condition, further told this paper that at Akokeri in Obuasi, the rail line scramps had been totally removed.

The General Secretary of the Workers Union, Mr. Kingsford Esso, on his part, told this paper that he was also aware the scramps were being removed.

When this paper contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Company, Mr. Abakah, on he also told this paper that he was unaware that the rail line scramps were being removed.