The Accra Branch of the Railway Workers Union has called for the immediate clearing of traders operating within the Accra railway yard, citing security concerns, unlawful occupation, and deteriorating conditions at the facility.

In a statement on the exercise scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026, the Union explained that although it initially created a designated market within the railway yard, the situation changed shortly after the 2024 general election when unknown individuals allegedly took over parts of the premises.

According to the Union, a group of individuals forcibly locked up shops and went further to lock the Engineering Workshop of the Ghana Railway Company Limited, disrupting official operations.

The Union further recounted a disturbing incident that occurred in November 2025, when about 50 unidentified men, dressed in uniforms and masks, stormed the railway yard claiming to be operatives from the National Security Office and allegedly acting under the authority of one Alhaji Kundo from Osu Castle.

The group, the Union said, was reportedly armed with shockers, pepper spray, and canes, and harassed traders and railway staff during the operation.

Two railway workers were said to have been directly assaulted during the incident. It said one staff member, Mr. Emmanuel Sasu Dankyi, was allegedly arrested and handcuffed by the self-styled security operatives, while another, Mr. Kwaku Boateng, was reportedly beaten and detained at an improvised base within the railway premises.

The statement indicated that following the incident, the leadership of the Railway Workers Union submitted a petition to the Regional Police Command, calling for investigations and appropriate action.

The Union also expressed concern over the deteriorating state of the railway yard, describing it as filthy and increasingly used as a refuse dump, with no sanitary measures in place.

It further referenced a memo issued by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), which clearly states that the Authority has not authorised any individual or group to collect money on its behalf within the railway yard.

The Railway Workers Union is therefore appealing to the relevant authorities to support efforts to clear traders from the yard to prevent further degradation of the facility and restore order.