The Railways Minister says the Akufo-Addo government is the only administration to have extensively carried out projects to transform the railways' sector of the country.

Joe Ghartey in an interview with Joy News’ Latif Idrissu, noted that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) inherited a decline in the rails sector but has developed it by expanding its infrastructure.

“$500million has been invested for the railway sector to do a line from Takoradi Habour to Huni Valley by the time it is completed in 42 months we will have 102 kilometres of new standard gauge line and that will be the largest single railway contract to be awarded in this country since independence.

“So if for nothing at all, this huge investment signifies that government is serious about railways. The President has said time and again that one of our tragedies of our post colonial development is that we ignored our railways. 

He added, “Since independence, our railway development has been on a decline and we [NPP government] have decided to arrest it by doing something about it.”

Stressing the importance of an effective railway in the country, Mr Ghartey said functional rails will transform the nation by boosting all discipline including social, economical, agricultural, transport among others.

“The railway is not an end to itself, it is a means to an end,” he stated.

The Minister who doubles as MP for Essikado/Ketan Constituency further noted that illegal miners, particularly in the Western Region, continue to serve as a major challenge to the sector.

He, however, noted that government is working to deal with the situation.