My policies will cement President Akufo-Addo's railway legacy - Amewu

John Peter Amewu, Minister of Railway Development, says he has good policies which would cement the legacy of President Akufo-Addo as the builder of Ghana's modern rail network.

He, therefore, urged the Management and Staff of the Ministry of Railway Development to back his policies with strategies and programmes to bring Ghana’s rail transport back on track; stating that, "let's work together and put in innovation".

A statement issued by the Ministry of Railway Development, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Mr Amewu made these remarks during his maiden meeting with Management and Staff of the Ministry in Accra to formally interact with them while discussing the future of the Ministry and the Railway Sector as a whole.

He noted that politicians would always come and go with policy directions and guidelines but it was prudent for Management to ensure that staff developed love and strategies to implement these policies.

He added that it was the vision of President Akufo-Addo to leave a legacy for generations to enjoy as was done by the late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah with the construction of the Akosombo dam and other projects, stressing that although there were a lot of flagship programmes., the impact of the railway to the economy was evident.

The Sector Minister commended his predecessor and his Deputies for establishing a solid foundation for the railway industry, as he recalled that the railway sector had collapsed due to the poor maintenance culture of Ghanaians.

Mr Amewu indicated that per his observation, he could confidently say that a lot of resources had been invested in the construction of the railway lines, giving a 100 per cent score for the progress of work.

He added that what was left was the motivating factor and funding and called for 'all hands-on deck' approach to move the sector forward.

“I’m coming with good policies and must be backed by the implementation. It is important to carry everyone along, work together and put in innovation," he said.

He urged the Management and Staff of the Ministry to continue to demonstrate the spirit of teamwork and dedication in their duties to enable the Ministry to succeed.

On some pertinent issues affecting the Railway Sector, Management of the Ministry, he mentioned land acquisition and encroachment on railway lands as some of the major challenges which had caused delays in some on-going railway projects.

The human resource capacity challenge was also mentioned to be affecting the Ministry.

For instance, the limited number of Engineers makes it difficult for the Ministry to closely perform its role in supervising and monitoring project execution on site.

Mr Amewu gave the assurance that regular Management meetings would be held to address issues bothering the Ministry and hindering the construction of the railway lines.

Mr Desmond Boateng, the Acting Chief Director at the Ministry, and the entire Staff, assured the Minister of their unflinching support, commitment and cooperation to enable him to achieve the mandate of the Ministry and the vision of the President Akufo-Addo.