Ghanaian government faces pressure following the crash of a newly imported train

Days after a train imported from Poland crashed during a test run, the government has stated that the manufacturer will repair the damaged parts within the next three to four weeks. The Railways development minister, John Peter Amewu, explained that only the fenders were damaged, while the electronic and mechanical systems with the engine remained intact. Engineers from Poland have assessed the train and are ordering the necessary parts for repairs.

The imported train is part of the government’s plan to improve rail transport in the country. The plan includes purchasing up to twelve trains for the new Tema-Mpakadan standard-gauge railway line. This railway line will transport passengers from Mpakadan through Kpong, Juapong, Doryumu, all the way to Tema port.

Experts point out that congestion on roads in Accra affects people’s lives and work, and a proper railway system could help reduce congestion and traffic problems. Therefore, the government has constructed the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, which is 97 km long, to facilitate the movement of goods and people along the Eastern corridor of the country. This line is part of a planned 1000 km railway connecting Ghana to Burkina Faso, linking Ouagadougou to the Port of Tema.

On April 3rd, the railways ministry announced the arrival of one of the diesel multiple units (DMU) for the Tema-Mpakadan railway line from Poland. The ministry stated that they would assemble the train for test runs before it becomes ready for commercial operation. However, on April 18th, during a test run, the train crashed.

According to the railways ministry, the incident occurred as the train was negotiating a curve and collided with a truck parked on the rail line. Despite applying the emergency brake, the train did not stop before colliding with the Hyundai truck. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported as there was no one inside the truck.

The government has faced criticism for the incident, with some accusing them of poor work on the railway track. However, Minister John Peter Amewu suspects sabotage. The police have arrested the driver of the truck, Abel Dzidotor, who was sentenced to six months in jail with hard labor by the Juapon Circuit court. Abel pleaded guilty to careless and inconsiderate driving, unauthorized stopping, and unlawful damage. The court also fined him GHC 1,200 ($90) for careless driving.

Following Abel’s sentencing, the police arrested four more individuals for their role in the accident, charging them with abetment to unlawful damage. They have been remanded into police custody pending further investigation.

Minister John Peter Amewu stated in an interview with local media that the supplier, Pesa Bydgoszcz SA, is responsible for the repairs according to the agreement with the Ghana government. He explained that ownership of the train will be transferred to Ghana after the completion of test runs and full payment. As of now, Ghana has not made the full payment for the train. The minister also revealed that Ghana has purchased two trains from Poland, with the second one expected to arrive by the end of July. Each train costs about $8 million, totaling $16 million for both.