Ameyaw Akumfi confirms Eastern Railway take-off

THE EASTERN Railway line targeted for construction by the government from Tema to Paga would begin in April this year.
But this welcome news that has the potential to boost the income levels of about 3000 railway workers in the country would see 1,500 of them being laid off before the commencement of the new line.
Speaking to The Chronicle in an exclusive interview, the Minister for Ports and Railways, Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi disclosed that a memorandum of the new project to be constructed by a foreign group led by a Ghanaian is currently before Cabinet for approval.
He however declined to disclose the names and where the investors are coming from.
According to Prof. Akumfi, as soon as Cabinet approved the memorandum, it would be laid before Parliament for approval for the take off of the project in April.
The Eastern railway line would begin from Tema through Kumasi and branch to Ejura, through Nkoranza to Techiman to Kintampo through Tamale to Bolgatanga and to Paga.
A branch of the line would be made to Yendi because of some ore deposits in the area.
The Project, termed 'Build Operate Transfer' (BOT) has in the agreement that the investors have to operate the railway line for sometime till they recoup whatever they invested before returning it to the government of Ghana.
Under the project, the government of Ghana needs to set a timetable for the investors and, according to Prof Akumfi, the government was asking for five years duration for the completion of the project.
The Ports and Railways Minister explained that if the government should allow the group to determine when to complete the project, it may take even 25 years, hence the importance of the time table.
The Minister has also disclosed that another group would tackle the Western Railway line from Awaso through Bibiani to Goaso through Sunyani to Wenchi, Bole, and Wa up to Hamile. He however could not disclose when the Western project would take off, but says, "as soon as possible".

Touching on the plight of railway workers, Prof Akumfi hinted that the two groups who would be managing the railways would not like to work with the entire workforce of about 3000.
He told The Chronicle that the two groups were prepared to help the government financially to retrench about 1500 workers, since the government could not pay them their entitlements when laid off.
He said, "We are currently facing a problem of paying the 600 workers already retrenched", adding, "Even salaries of entire workers is a problem as we have gone to almost all the banks for loans to pay the workers and this has put their salaries two months behind since November last year and the take-over of the railways by the investors would help ease the heat on us". According to the Minister, the government has already negotiated with the workers on the retrenchment exercise, but because the government has no money, hence their stay on the job.