The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railways Development Authority, Dr Frederick Appoh, has dispelled reports that the non-operational status of the Tema–Impakadan railway line is due to a lack of fuel to power the trains, clarifying that the issue lies with infrastructural challenges rather than logistics.

Some workers at the Ghana Railway Company, who have declared a strike, explained that the two trains on the Tema–Impakadan route are non-operational due to a fuel shortage.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse show on Wednesday, May 14, Dr Appoh stressed that both trains on the route are in excellent condition and ready for service.

“Tema–Impakadan remains one of the key infrastructure assets of the country. The two trains are operable, in good condition, and ready to go,” he said. “The fact that the trains are not working has nothing to do with fuel shortages.”

Dr Appoh explained that a track inspection carried out on March 15 uncovered significant issues along the railway corridor.

These included illegal encroachment, widespread theft of materials, and vandalism of critical components.

“We encountered a lot of issues,” he noted. “Buffer stock was almost non-existent — taken off by scrap dealers. Most of the nuts and screws had been illegally removed from the tracks. We are in the process of rectifying all these issues.”

The Railways CEO revealed that the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) is spearheading mitigation efforts, and that considerable progress has already been made.

“At the moment, I can confidently say that 75% of the ongoing GIFEC mitigation action plan is almost complete,” he said.

Dr Appoh acknowledged the ongoing salary crisis affecting staff at the Ghana Railway Company Services (GRCS).

“The issue of non-payment of salaries over seven months is deeply concerning, and we acknowledge the genuine hardship this has caused GRCS staff,” he stated.

He assured workers that the Ministry of Transport, under the leadership of Joseph Bukari Nikpe, is actively working to resolve the delay.

“I’m very much aware of the steps being taken by the Minister to address this issue,” Dr Appoh added.