The Railway Workers Union has threatened to cease running the Accra to Tema and Takoradi to Tema routes from Monday 22nd August, 2022, if the Ministry of Railways Development does not call the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) to order and ensure an amicable solution to the challenges it has enumerated.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Godwill Ntarmah, the union expressed unhappiness about the continuous undermining of the operations of the Ghana Railways Company Limited (GRCL) by the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA).

“The Railway Workers Union has over the years complained about the Railway Act, Act 779 which among other things transfers the assets hitherto under the care of GRCL to GRDA. Series of appeals for this Act, to be reviewed, since GRCL continues to be a going concern has so far not yielded the desired results. The GRDA as a result has taken undue advantage of this Act and is perpetrating acts that are detrimental to the survival of GRCL”.

Some of the actions the union said are against the GRCL are “supervising and loading of three trucks load of scraps of rails and sleepers at Kaase in the Ashanti Region for sale, a recent directive to take over some Bungalows at Kumasi by 31st August, 2022 in spite of the fact that officials of GRCL and their families occupy such Bungalows, denying the GRCL from collecting rents on the operators who are on railway lands as previously being done by GRCL and attempting to load and dispose of scraps of rails and sleepers at Kumasi railway station on 9th August, 2022 something the railway workers at Kumasi fiercely resisted and it’s hanging currently”.

The union added that it’s very much aware of a directive from the Minister of Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, for all scraps to be collated and a public auction made to dispose of them.

It warned the Ghana Railway Development Authority that it will take an action against its unfair treatment of the Railway Company.

“We are very much aware of a directive from the Hon. Minister for Railways Development for all scraps to be collated and a Public Auction made to dispose of it, so why the piece meal approach for its disposal and sale. It must be noted that in all these arrangements, the interest of the GRCL is not considered.”

Furthermore, it said “currently, the GRCL is heavily indebted to a number of institutions as it sometimes borrows from the Banks and its major client the Ghana Manganese Company to effect payment of salaries and purchase of fuel etc. More so, payment for June and July [2022] salaries were paid just today 11th August, 2022. Adding to the above, the GRCL is operating the shuttle service from Accra to Tema and Kojokrom to Takoradi at a loss as those services are considered more of a social service than a commercial venture without any support from any angle to even purchase fuel for such operations. The GRCL could have taken advantage from the sale of scraps and collecting of rents etc. to support its operations, if the Assets were to be in its care.”

In view of the foregoing, the leadership of the Union said it is left with no option but to say enough is enough and thereby take an action if the Ministry of Railways Development does not call the GRDA to order and ensure an amicable solution to the challenges enumerated.