Ministry of Railway Development denies steel sleepers and rails were stolen. Reports of the theft of steel sleepers and rails believed to belong to the Ghana Railway Development Authority have been denied by the Ministry of Railway Development according to a report by Graphic Online.
Following the arrest of two suspects, it was alleged that the items had been illegally delivered to Ferro Fabrik. The suspects were seen moving the items in a popular video.
The suspects claimed that the Ministry of Railway Development had contracted their company to transport the goods to Tema.
In a press release, the ministry said it had in fact hired Messrs Xingrui International Development Limited to transport the steel sleepers and rails.
The ministry claimed that the vehicle seen in the popular video was its property and wasn't transporting stolen goods.
The Ministry added that it had informed the Ghana Police Service that anyone found removing or transporting railway tracks would be dealt with accordingly. Only Messrs Xingrui International Development Limited is authorised to remove abandoned railway tracks and steel sleepers along certain rights of way, the ministry said.
As a result, the vehicle carrying some of the railway tracks obtained by Messrs Xingrui International Development Limited in the viral video was authorised by the Ministry and was not carrying stolen goods, the release said.
Furthermore, we wish to state that the Ministry has duly informed the Ghana Police Service that apart from Messrs Xingrui International Development Limited who were authorised to harvest or remove abandoned railway tracks and steel sleepers along the right of way from Mempeasem to Mrayem on the Western Line and from Nnadieso to Juaso on the Eastern Line, any other person(s) found removing or transporting railway tracks must be arrested and dealt with accordingly.
We further wish to state that Messrs. Xingrui International Development Limited are not engaged in the illegal harvesting and transportation of the railway tracks as alleged in the above mentioned video, but are working under the directives of the Ministry, the statement added.