Committee for rehabilitation of western rail line inaugurated

The outgoing Minister of Transportation, Mr. Mike Hammah, has identified the rail sector as a major driving force for the accelerated development of the country, and for that reason, the revitalisation and rehabilitation of the rail lines remains a priority of the transport sector developmnt agenda.

Hammah, who was speaking at the inauguration of a 20-member steering committee for the rehabilitation of the western rail line, stressed that the rail sector was going to be positioned to play a pivotal role in the provision of transport services in the economic development of the country.

The Omanhene of the Essikado Traditional Area, Nana Kobina Nketsiah V, who chaired the programme, cautioned that the chiefs and people of the region would not forgive the government if it let them down in the rehabilitation of the western line.

He therefore, charged the steering committee members to make sure that the rehabilitation of the western line comes to pass, adding, 'This is the one you must do for Mother Ghana.'

The Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Mrs. Votoria Addy, on behalf of her colleagues, gave the assurance that the committee would work to justify the trust reposed in them.

She however, hinted that revamping the rail line was not a simple task, because the lines had been neglected for a very long time.

She hinted that persons who had encroached on railway lands would be ejected, stressing, 'We are going to come out as a thief in the night to clear structures along rail lines, and we must all cooperate.'

The Deputy Regional Minister, Madam Betty Bosumtwi-Sam, on her part, appealed to the committee members to do all they could to make the rail rehabilitation become a reality.

The Chairman of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), Mr. Dan Markin, who inaugurated the committee, distinguished the work of the GRDA from that of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC). He said the GRDA existed as regulators, and not operators of the rail sector.

The Chairman of the GRDA also read out the terms of reference of the committee, which includes supervision and implementation of the Bonifica Report for the rehabilitation and construction of the Western line.

They are also to assist the Board to plan, implement, and supervise activities towards the sod-cutting of the rehabilitation of the western line, which has tentatively been schedule for the 27th of this month.