Obuasi, July 9, GNA- The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, has called for investigation into the pulling down of part of the fence wall of Obuasi Secondary/Technical School and the splashing of some masters' bungalows with faeces by some students of the school. Mr Boafo, therefore, directed the Adansi West District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Joe Boampong, to immediately set up a five-member committee of inquiry and to submit a report within a week.

The Minister, who gave the directive on Tuesday, said "we want to bring sanity into this school and again my administration will encourage and protect good students."

Mr Boafo spoke about discipline and said ''the future of the nation depended on disciplined youth.''

He advised the students to always resort to the laid down procedure of addressing their grievances instead of taking the law into their own hands.

Committee set up to probe allocation of Railway land

Accra, July 9, GNA- The Ministry of Ports, Harbours and Railways on Wednesday tasked an eight-member technical advisory committee to investigate the allocation or lease of Ghana Railway Company (GRC) lands to individuals and organizations.

The committee, chaired by Ms Ama J. Banful, Chief State Attorney, would look into all problems associated with the Company's properties, especially lands, and make recommendations to the government within three months.

Specific terms of reference for the committee includes investigation into the manner in which lands and properties were leased and developed. The committee is also to identify all GRC staff involved in the leasing of the lands as well as payments that have been made to the GRC and others in respect of the leases granted.

The Committee is to recommend actions to be taken on leases granted, investigate any other issues and recommend procedures that would discourage any further leasing and development on the lands.

Mr Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the sector Minister, who inaugurated the committee, said the government was committed to the concession of the railway with the view to bringing in the required capital injection to improve and expand the railway system.

The projected programme for the railway sector is to improve the old facilities, extend the lines to the northern sector of the country and reactivate and develop a suburban railway for the Accra-Tema metropolis to facilitate the mass transport system.

According to the programme, a concessionaire would be selected through a bidding process by the end of February 2004 for the existing railway. Meanwhile, other development partners, such as the Chinese government, have also expressed interest to assist the government to undertake feasibility studies for possible rail extension to the north.

Mr Ameyaw-Akumfi said in view of the future plans it was imperative for the government to streamline activities and bring sanity into the sector.

Problems identified in the sector include the allocation of railway lands and encroachments that have led to permanent developments that are expected to impede future projects.

Already, allocations to market women and traders, particularly in Accra and Kumasi, with their attendant risks have affected daily railway operations.

The Minister said: "How and why this has happened beats the imagination of most of us.

"We however, believe it is with the connivance of various people in authority both in and out of GRC. People cannot build, for instance, without development permits from authorities in the city." He noted that it was in view of these developments that the Ministry had set up the technical advisory committee,

"It must be noted that if current assets are not safeguarded, future assets may face the same fate to the detriment of our railway", he said.

Mr George Mensah of the Town and Country Planning Department on behalf of members of the Committee said they had accepted the challenge promised that they would dedicate themselves to the task and make workable recommendations.

Other members of the committee are Mr A. Appiah-Adu, Lands Commission, Mr Okyere Darko Ababio, Ministry of Local Government, Mr D. K. Osei, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Mr Albert Adjei, Shama Ahanta East Metro Assembly.

The rest are Mr Asiedu Poku, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and Mr S. Essuman-Ocran, Coordinator of the Committee.