John Peter Amewu, the Minister of Railways Development, has revealed that the train recently imported from Poland, which was involved in an accident during a self-acceptance test, will be operationalized by the second week of June.
The government expects new parts for repairs to arrive soon, following the collision with a stationary track during a test run intended for the Tema-Mpakadan railway line.
The incident led to the arrest and sentencing of the driver of the Hyundai truck involved in the collision to six months in jail.
In an exclusive interview with Asaase Radio, Amewu stated that engineers are diligently working on repairing the damaged train to ensure its functionality and safety before commissioning it for service.
“The train will bridge very soon. It was quite unfortunate that we had that nasty scene where the train had to run into a stationary vehicle. I think you were all there to see it,”
Amewu commented, highlighting the efforts being made to order and bring in the necessary parts for repairs.
He estimated that the commissioning of the line would occur anytime from the first week to the second week in June, emphasizing the crucial role of the arrival of the parts in the restoration process.
“We still estimate that commissioning of the line will be coming in any time from the first week to the second week in June. So the arrival of the parts is what we are waiting for. Immediately we get the parts in, the train will be pulled back too,” Amewu explained.
The Tema-Mpakadan railway line is expected to facilitate the efficient movement of goods and passengers, contributing to economic development and regional connectivity.
Despite the setback caused by the accident, Amewu expressed confidence in the capabilities of the engineering team tasked with repairing the train.
He assured the public of the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely completion of the repairs and the subsequent commissioning of the train for service.
Source: www.ghanaweb.live