Some 250 bolt and nuts fixed on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line have been stolen by suspected criminals.
The thieves, suspected to be scrap dealers removed and made away with the metal fastens which were recently fixed on the rail lines by contractors of the project, AFCONS Construction.
Speaking to journalists after inspecting work on the Tema-Mpakadan railway project, John Peter Amewu, Railways Development Minister implored persons behind the crime to cease since the culprits will be dealt with when arrested.
He observed that the theft is not as widespread in the Western Region unlike the Greater Accra Region.
According to him, “Some men have attempted to remove some of the bolts around the Tema harbour, you know and as our culture I don’t think it is fair, because the government is spending millions of dollars to construct these railway lines and it is for the benefit of all citizens of this country,” he said.
“This is the first time ever, in the history of this country, we have seen so much investment in the railway sector, and if people cannot take the project and accept it as their own property and therefore go behind and start pilfering, I don’t think it is going to help us as a country.
“So, this is just an appeal to all Ghanaians, but the law will catch up with any citizen that makes an attempt, we realised some of the bolts and nuts had already been removed, this cannot be acceptable at all, let us be our own keepers and protectors of property that belongs to government.”
He appealed to the people in and around the railway lines to protect the lines.
“This is not as widespread as in the Western lines, 250 bolts and nuts have been removed.
“We have done a lot of stakeholder engagements, this is a new line, and unfortunately they were not caught. So, let’s all be keepers of government property,” he said.
By Vincent Kubi