Takoradi, Sept. 7, GNA - Mr. Emmanuel Opoku, Acting Managing Director (MD) of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRC) on Saturday said that government had accepted the policy to allow private sector finance and participation in the operations of the Company.

He said as part of the package, the infrastructure and equipment of the GRC, would be given to the private sector to operate for a period, while the operators pay annual fees to the government.

Mr. Opoku made this known at the inauguration of the Ghana Railway Senior Officers Pensioners Association (GRASOPA) at Takoradi. He said bids have been advertised and would be opened after December 1, this year and the winner would be expected to begin operations in March 2004.

The Acting MD said the winner would be expected to expand the central line to link Cote d'Ivoire, Benin and Nigeria.

Another line to link Tema and Akosombo would be constructed to facilitate multiple transport on the Volta Lake.

He said the GRC increased its freight traffic from 816,000 tonnes in 1998 to 1,682,000 tonnes in 2002.

Mr. Francis Baidoo, Assistant Secretary of GRASOPA appealed to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to refund former GRC workers' contributions to the fund to them. He explained that although most of them opted for the "Cap 30" scheme when SSNIT was introduced, their contributions were paid into the SSNIT fund, and therefore, appealed to the Western Regional Minister, Mr. Joseph B. Aidoo, to assist them to retrieve their contribution to the fund. Mr. Baidoo spoke about unsatisfactory medical care pensioners receive at some hospitals and appealed to the Ministry of Health, to implement the free medical care policy for Pensioners and the aged.

Mr. Francis Eghan, a pensioner who chaired the function appealed to the government to assist pensioners and retrenched workers to collect their outstanding benefits.

He said though a court had given judgement in favour of the affected workers, their entitlements had still not been paid. Mr. Eghan commended the government for the establishment of a Ministry of Ports, Harbours and Railways, adding, "this falls in line with the holistic plan of the late Dr. Kofi A. Busia".