Dr Frederick Appo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Railway Development Company Limited, has disclosed that Ghana currently operates with a fleet of only five trains to serve the nation.
The CEO made this revelation during an interview on the “Frontline” programme on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM.
Dr Appo stated that the current administration inherited a severely distressed railway sector but emphasised the government’s unwavering commitment to its comprehensive transformation.
Addressing host Kwabena Agyapong, Dr Appo highlighted the financial crisis that plagued the sector upon the change in administration. He revealed that railway workers were owed six months of salary arrears.
“As a government, we inherited a very difficult railway sector. The railway sector comprises the Railways Development Authority, which is in charge of infrastructure development, and the Ghana Railway Company Limited. When we took over, the railway workers had not been paid for six months. We owed them in excess of GHC 35 million.”
He further detailed the steps taken to address this debt: an amount of GHC 13 million has already been released to settle approximately three months of the unpaid salaries. He also mentioned that an initial release of \text{GHC} 10 million was made to pay part of the overall GHC 35 million debt.
“The Ghana Railway sector, as an entity, was in a very difficult place,” Dr Appo conceded. “However, since our transformation agenda took off, we have begun revitalising the sector. We are rolling out initiatives that will see the sector undergo remarkable transformation.”
Finally, Dr Appo commended the previous government for its significant investment in the 97-kilometre Tema Harbour to Mpakadan railway line, noting that the line is currently operational due to the efforts of the present government.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
