Mr. John-Peter Amewu, Minister of Railway Development, has stated that persons stealing components for track fittings on the Tema-Mpakadan railway will be arrested and punished as soon as possible.
This comes after it was discovered that around 250 bolts and nuts were taken by unknown individuals on the Tema Harbour-Afienya segment of the 97-kilometer railway project before it was completed.
"Let me issue this caution to Ghanaians residing beside railway properties, as well as the wider public, that stealing properties and equipment for projects is disgraceful and unseemly." It's time to call it a day." Mr. Amewu explained. He told the Ghana News Agency that because of the anti-theft equipment installed on the railway and the level of community and stakeholder involvement undertaken, the criminals will be apprehended and prosecuted as soon as possible.
"Any single citizen who tries to steal materials for the construction of rail lines will be prosecuted. It's regrettable they were not apprehended, but if they try again, the law will undoubtedly catch up with them," the Minister stated.
"We've conducted extensive stakeholder engagement, notably with residents...
"The contractor is putting in anti-theft mechanisms on the rails, making it impossible to remove the bolts and nuts," he continued.
Mr Amewu urged all Ghanaians to safeguard state assets, saying:
"Let us be our own guardians and protectors of government property..." We should treat it as though it were our own property and treat it with respect."
Despite the project's failure to meet various deadlines, the sector minister was optimistic that, with the progress achieved and assurances from the contractor, all construction on the 97-kilometer Tema-Mpakadan railway would be finished by December 2022.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic and certain technological obstacles, the project, which began in 2017, missed its July 2020 completion goal. It too missed the March 2022 deadline, and is now anticipated to be completed by the end of this year.
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