Persons Arrested Over “Stolen” Rail Tracks Are Innocent
The Ministry of Railways Development has risen to the defence of two men who got arrested for some rail tracks and steel sleepers which were announced to be “stolen” in a viral video.
Ibrahim John and Bashiru Ibrahim were arrested while transporting the items in three trucks. The trucks were subsequently impounded by the police.
This was after a video of some rail tracks and steel sleepers alleged to be stolen had gone viral.
During interrogation, the two told the police their company had been contracted by the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) to transport the items to Tema but that could not immediately be established.
A press release from the Ministry dated May 2 confirmed their statement.
“The Vehicle seen in the viral video transporting some of the rail tracks harvested by Messrs Xingrui International Development Limited was authorised by the Ministry and not a stolen item.”
It explained that it is removing some rail tracks across the country to construct standard ones per ECOWAS and African Union (AU) directives and thereby the need to take off the old rail tracks.
Except Takoradi to Tarkwa rail line and the Accra to Nsawam section, the Ministry said, all others are unfit for purpose and not in use due to encroachment and theft of rail tracks.
Outlining some of unfit lines hit by theft, the Authority said, “In order for government not to lose these assets through stealing, the Ministry decided to harvest them for safe-keeping and to subsequently, if found necessary, dispose of them off to generate some revenue to government.”
That, the approval by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) was sought and granted for the sale of some rail tracks on the Eastern and Western lines- which were wrongly flagged to be stolen in the viral video.
Messrs Xingrui International Development Limited has been contracted to remove rail tracks and steel sleepers along Mempeasem to Mrayen on the Western line and Nnadieso to Juaso on the Eastern line, per the press statement.
According to the Authority, the police have already been informed about this and have been directed to arrest any other person found removing or transporting rail tracks.
