Major rehabilitation works on the country's railway lines will soon begin to ensure efficient operation of the rail transport system in the country.

Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways, who announced this, also said extension of the railway lines to the North and other parts of the country would begin by the end of the year.

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi was addressing a durbar of staff of the Ghana Railway Company as part of his visit to the company's facilities in Kumasi on Monday.

The Minister, who was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Sampson Kwaku Boafo and the acting Managing Director of the Company, Mr. Emmanuel Opoku, inspected portions of the railway line in the metropolis, which passed through the main central market.

He also inspected portions of the Kumasi-Kaase lines where flood water from the Kumasi drainage works at Kaase always overflow the lines whenever it rained, forcing the trains to delay for several hours to allow the floods to subside.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said new coaches would also be procured under the rehabilitation programme to increase passenger and goods intake.

He expressed concern about the activities of traders in the central

market, who had displayed their wares on the railway lines and said their activities hampered the smooth passage of the trains and often caused accidents in the area.

The Minister urged the management of the company to mobilise all forces to check the activities of galamsey operators who were destroying the Western railway lines.

He also advised workers to always think about how to improve the fortunes of the company and desist from negative acts that had contributed to the problems facing the company.

Mr. Opoku, the Managing Director, said the Company was currently having discussions with Bulk Oil Transport Company (BOST), Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA), Ghana Shippers Council and Ghana Cocoa Board on the reactivation of the operations of the Eastern line through the implementation of the eastern line rehabilitation project. He called for the completion of the Kumasi drainage works which stoppage was creating problems for the Kumasi-Kaase line.

Mr. Opoku explained that anytime it rained, departing or arriving in Kumasi on the Western line had to be delayed for several hours to allow the floods to subside.