Ketan(WR), Aug. 8, GNA - Ghana Railway Company (GRC)lost its monopoly on the haulage of Manganese and Bauxite after the month-long strike action by its workers.

Mr Kwame Boadi Amofah, Managing Director of GRC who announced this said the strike action compelled major customers of the company to resort to road transport that had affected its operations. He was addressing the Ninth Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of Railway Enginemen's Union (REU) of Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) at Ketan.

It is under the theme "Revamping Rail Transport: The Role of Stakeholders".

Me Amofah explained that to ensure early transportation of the minerals, the companies resorted to road haulage and GRC must now compete with them, although discussions were ongoing to revert to railway services which was far cheaper, nothing positive had been achieved.

He urged leadership of the union to provide good leadership to enable workers increase productivity and the need for all railway workers to be abreast with the rapidly changing technology in rail service.

Mr Amofah advised them to refrain from acts that could cause undue delay to scheduled movement of trains because the company could only achieve its targets when customers had confidence in their operations. Mr Emmanuel Donkoh, Acting General Secretary of the Union said though the company was facing many challenges including financial, technical and administrative, it was ready to meet those challenges. He said though the company had been described as a moribund organisation, the union would endeavour to turn its fortunes around since rail transport was cheaper, environmentally friendly and efficient.

Mr Donkoh appealed to Government to provide the needed investment to revamp the rail sector to ensure the focus on regional integration could receive a massive boost. He said the outstanding 50 per cent severance award for 670 workers retrenched should be paid without any further delay. Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Essikadu Traditional Area said plans were underway to restore the European Town Railway Station as a Railway Museum.

He said efforts were being made to re-vamp idle lands in Sekondi and appealed to stakeholders to make efforts to make the company vibrant.