Accra-based Citi News reported that the train horn was sounded repeatedly, but the man did not respond. Eyewitnesses at the scene noted that he appeared mentally alert at the time of the accident.

The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) emphasized the need for caution near railway lines, urging pedestrians to stay alert and avoid walking along the tracks.

Authorities confirmed that emergency services responded promptly to provide medical attention to the injured individual.

In a related statement, the GRDA suggested that recent attacks on the train service may be linked to efforts to remove encroachers from the railway corridor, possibly as retaliatory actions.

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Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), Yaw Owusu, made this known in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show.

According to him, President Nana Akufo-Addo will also commission the newly acquired trains at the Tema Harbour, where the event will be held.

“The seating capacity for the trains is 120 for one and 150 for the other. If we secure additional funding, we will purchase more trains,” he added.

Mr. Owusu also mentioned that private investors will be given the opportunity to operate trains, but they will first be required to go through all necessary processes.

When asked about the cost of one train, he said the trains offer good value for money.

“With an estimated price range of $4 to $5 million per train, the train is modern, well-decorated, and very spacious,” he said.

Regarding ticketing, he mentioned, “We have a program in place and are working on making tickets available online.”

After the commissioning, Mr. Owusu said the trains would undergo a test run for about two months on the Tema-Mpakadan line before the trains officially begin operations.

“This is to ensure that everything runs properly before it hits the road,” he added.

He clarified that the commissioning of the trains is not due to the upcoming elections, which are only a few days away.

“It’s not because of the election that we are hurriedly commissioning it,” he stated.

He also assured that if there are any issues with the trains, there is a one-year warranty, adding that a five-year maintenance agreement has been signed as part of the maintenance plan.

The project, which began in 2018, is part of the Ghana-Burkina Faso Interconnectivity Project, aimed at linking Ghana to its northern neighbor.

The railway line stretches from Tema to Mpakadan, passing through the iconic 300m-long railway bridge over the Volta River.

RAILWAY ON TRAIN UPDATE

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The incident took place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, when one of the newly imported Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trains, produced by a Polish manufacturer, was conducting a test run.

The train collided with a stationary Hyundai truck with registration number GS 9018-20 stuck on the rail line at Abotia community.

A statement from the Ministry of Railway Development confirmed that passengers were not injured in the accident.

However, the vehicle’s driver, 41-year-old Able Dzidotor was arrested and sentenced to six months in jail the next day by the Juapong Circuit Court.

The Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Thomas Ampem Nyarko condemned the driver for attempting to cross the rail tracks but emphasized the need for the constructor to review access routes to communities along the rail lines.

“I also think that looking at the situation here and the alternative route that has been provided by other users, vehicles to cross the area, the engineering work would have to be improved. If you look at this community there are buildings on both ends of the railway line so definitely people will need to cross to the other side looking at the passage provided underbridge and the fact that the vehicle crossing had to scratch under the bridge shows that, the space there is not long enough for vehicles that are a bit higher. We should not assume that only saloon vehicles will be crossing to the other side. We should make provisions for bigger trucks,” Thomas Ampem Nyarko said.

The MP described it as a ridiculous attempt to blame the accident on political sabotage.

“I want to say that it is ridiculous for anybody to think that this accident was deliberate and that it was a sabotage by some individuals or group of individuals”.

Also, the DCE for North Tongu, Divine Osborn Fenu stated that, the accident should not be politicized.

Though unfortunate, he said it should guide future safety measures in the communities along the railway lines.

“It is sad that anything that happens is politicized. This is an accident that has happened. Let’s solve the problem of the concerns raised by the residents. Will convey the grievances of the people to the engineer. We should not politicize everything,” the DCE said.

Belko Abubakari, Assemblyman for the Ayimagonu Electoral Area described the challenges faced by the community in accessing their homes and dismissed claims that the accident was politically motivated.

He rather called on the Ghana Railway Authority to sit with the communities to find ways to create access roads for them.

He said the three meters height under bridge, intended to facilitate safe movement of vehicles and residents, was built away from the community, forcing residents, especially children, to cross the rail lines.

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According to Ebenezer Sackitey, the incident occurred after the driver, Abel Dzidotor, went to deliver blocks in the truck with registration number GS 9018-20.

Unfortunately, he got stuck while using the railway track as an alternative route instead of a bridge used earlier.

“I was at the block factory when my driver came to me that he was finding it difficult to pass through under the bridge. He went earlier to go and offload the blocks and when he was coming back, he was not able to use the under bridge this time, so he had to return. Because he had offloaded the truck, it gained some height, so he was not able to use the under bridge this time,” the owner explained in a video shared by Ghone TV.

The breakdown of my truck on the rail line was a pure coincidence – Vehicle Owner explains circumstances surrounding train accident.#GHOneNews #GHOneTV pic.twitter.com/CziUV6Unou

— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) April 19, 2024

Abel allegedly abandoned the truck and went into hiding at Tagadzi where he was arrested and arraigned before court on Friday.

However, his boss revealed Abel and himself reported the incident at the police station, where the driver was taken into custody.

Meanwhile, the Juapong Circuit Court has sentenced Abel to six months imprisonment with hard labour for causing unlawful damage to public property, among two other charges.

Dzidotor pleaded guilty to three of the charges brought against him.

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