The Police have taken into custody the driver of a Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018 – 20 following an accident involving a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line.
The incident occurred on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
According to preliminary investigations by the police, the driver allegedly left the vehicle unattended on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the train. The investigation is still ongoing to gather further details and determine the cause of the accident.
This arrest follows, a Kia driver deliberately parked on the railway line causing a collision with the new train during a test run.
The train, recently introduced by the Akufo-Addo-led government for the Tema-Mpakadan line, was being evaluated when the accident occurred.
John Peter Amewu, the Minister for Railways Development, confirmed that the Kia driver presented himself voluntarily to the authorities for questioning.
He mentioned that no injuries were reported, and both passengers and inspectors aboard the train were unharmed.
The minister also assured the public that the train remains in good condition, with only minor damage to its frontal area.
The new train, manufactured by the Polish company Pesa and delivered in early April 2024, is the first diesel train in Ghana.
It is intended to serve the newly constructed Tema-Mpakadan standard-gauge railway line, transporting passengers from Mpakadan to Tema port, with a switch to a narrow-gauge line for travel to Accra.
The Tema-Mpakadan railway line, spanning 97 km, is nearing completion and forms part of the transportation system connecting Tema port to both the southern and northern regions of Ghana. It is an essential segment of the Ghana-Burkina Faso interconnectivity project, which aims to establish a 1000 km railway network linking Ouagadougou to the Port in Tema. The project is expected to be fully operational by 2024.
By Vincent Kubi