Parliament has approved GH¢618.2 million for the Ministry of Railways Development to run its programmes and activities for the year 2023.

The ministry’s budgetary allocation for the financial year has seen a significant increase over the 2022 figure of GH¢530.6 million, showing a 16.5 per cent increase.

Within the year under review, a total amount of GH¢475.3 million was released with GH¢419.96 million expended by the Ministry as at September 2022.

As regards the programmes and outlook for 2023, the Ministry in 2023 would continue to develop local human resources and technical capacity for the maintenance of the railway system.

This would be done by organising workshops and equipping the youth through practical hands-on training to create jobs and wealth to support the growth of the economy.

In 2023, the construction of the 22km Kojokrom-Manso section of the Western Railway Line and the 97.97km of the Tema-Mpakadan Line are expected to be completed and operationalised, being the first standard gauge railway line in Ghana.

Mr John Peter Amewu, the Minister of Railways Development in moving the Motion on Wednesday, said the Ministry was working very hard to stop the encroachment on railway lands.

He noted that in the short to medium term, there was the possibility of linking the Western Railway Line, which was 35 to 40 per cent complete, to the Boankra Inland Port.

The Eastern Line, had, however, seen no improvement.

“On the completion of the Western Line, there is the possibility that we may move on through the Port of Takoradi to the Boankra Inland Port,” Mr Amewu said.

“So, that is what we are doing while looking to the long term of completing the Eastern Railway Line.”

Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport, who seconded the motion, said the Committee noted the challenges of the Ministry with encroachment on lands earmarked for railway projects.

He said those challenges had financial implications since the Government had to compensate those encroachers when projects were being undertaken to get the right of way on its own land, which delayed the work.

Mr Osei, who is a Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru, said the Committee was concerned about the Ministry’s ability to take the necessary steps to protect all earmarked lands and properties from encroachment.

The Committee was informed about illegal mining (galamsey) activities, which were causing damage to railway infrastructure resulting in huge financial losses.

Mr Osei said the Ministry would require an estimated two million dollars to reclaim lands destroyed as a result of illegal mining activities.

He urged the Ministry to collaborate with the National Security and Lands and Natural Resources ministries, through Operation Halt, to curb the activities of galamsey operators.

Touching on the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal, the Chairman said there was the need for a railway line from Boankra to be extended to the Tema Port to facilitate the transportation of heavy goods to the inland Port.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader in Parliament, said Ghana must prioritise its railway development and ensure that adequate resources were allocated towards achieving that to improve the general transportation of persons and goods.

He suggested that with the annual amount that Parliament approves every year, the House should take a position and allocate $200 million for the next five years for anyone who would want to come and build the railway system.

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the NPP Majority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, said it was high time for massive investment in the railway sector to make it more vibrant.

Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee, and MP for Adaklu, urged the ruling NPP Government to give credit to the opposition NDC for initiating some development projects while it was in office, such as the Tema-Npakanda Railway Line.