Railway workers hail creation of Railway Ministry

Ghana Railway Workers Union has praised the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for dedicating a ministry to the development of the railway sector.

The President on Wednesday announced the second batch of Ministers at the Flagstaff House with the introduction of Ministry of Railways Development.

The Ministry is similar to the one that existed under the erstwhile Kufuor administration from 2001 to 2008 as the Ministry of Ports, Harbours & Railways.

It will be headed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan in the Western Region, Joe Ghartey. Commenting on the creation of the Railway Ministry on Onua FM’s Ghana Dadwene, the General Secretary of the Ghana Railway Workers Union, Godwin Ntarmah, said they are happy over the creation because “it was part of his promise during the campaign to develop the railway sector and we hope his vision comes to pass”.

He said the railway is dying and “so we should do something about so as soon as possible to bring back the western railway”. Mr. Ntarmah explained that the Western Railway Line is where the cocoa and bauxite comes from “but most of the locomotives that were brought in the 90s have been destroyed while the lines are rusty”.

The General Secretary said “we need to lay new rail lines because galamsey have destroyed most of the line.

There is a lot of work to be done”. Mr. Ntarmah suggested that “we can seek for loans to restore the sector because it helps the transport sector and creates employment and we hope the ministry will not be created and then things will not work”.