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General News of Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Source: Graphic.com.gh
2019-02-20
Encroachments on a portion of the railway line at Alajo in Accra
The Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) is considering the possibility of fencing railway lines in some parts of the country as a permanent solution to encroachments along the rail corridor.
At present, the company is consulting with stakeholders in the country and seeking expert advice from foreign best practices to find a permanent solution to the encroachment of buffer zones along the railways.
Dr. Michael Adjei Anyetei, Deputy General Manager of the Ghana Railway Company in charge of Engineering, however, indicated that the option of fencing the railways was under study.
"It's a policy issue and we need to look for all the relevant approvals. We demolished about five times and after each exercise, the encroachers came back. We use taxpayers' money for this demolition. So we had to take a break and go back to the drawing board to find the best way to solve the problem, "he said.
According to Dr. Anyetei, some of the standard Western Rail standard gauge at Sekondi-Takoradi had been fenced off.
"We are not fighting it just because we want to get rid of the squatters, but also to deal with the danger of people strolling in and around the track," he added.
Danger
Expressing concern over encroachments and those who used the railway as a means of communication in and around the buffer zones of the corridor, Anyetei said such activities posed a threat to the activities of the railway sector.
"Our maintenance mode is not mechanized. As it is a manual, the illegal activities of intruders disrupt the structure of the track and pose a serious threat to our operations, "he said.
Although Mr. Anyitei could not specify the deadlines for the demolition of the structures and the construction of the fences, he indicated that the company should first write to the railway authority of the Ghana to seek the approval of the Ministry of Railway Development before the start of the procurement process.
"We have to allocate a budget, invite companies to bid for the contract and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will have to approve construction processes and other procurement processes," he said.
Mr. Anyitei said that a GRCL working group was working day and night to prevent intruders from engaging in any form of illegal activity near railroad tracks.
encroachments
When the Daily Graphic visited some communities along the Accra-Nsawam railroad last Saturday, the team discovered that squatters had occupied portions of the line despite the impending dangers.
The invaders, who are mostly small traders, operate along the shoulders of railroads at different intervals each day.
Some of the invaders stored their goods on tables, while others mounted unauthorized structures at a distance of 20 to 25 meters from the railway, where they carried out various activities.
The structures included lottery operators, food vendors, peddlers, craftsmen, mobile fund operators and scrap metal dealers.
Parts of the railway line also served as a place of residence for some people who had placed makeshift structures on them.
In some cases, dozens of old and dilapidated vehicles had been parked and abandoned on the shoulders of the railway.
Squatter activities have also led to the generation of waste piles along the shoulders of the railway.
Odorna, Avenor, Dome, Abofu, Alajo, Tesano, Achimota, Ofankor, Pokuase and Amasaman are among the scattered communities along the line.
Under the ceiling of Alajo, there were dozens of small traders who had occupied the area to conduct promising business.
During a conversation with some of them, they said, "We know the train schedules.
"We are here because a lot of commuters use this stretch to join Circle and Tesano. It's a way for us to make sales, "said a man who identified himself only as Spider.
Demolition panels
Although some structures along the railway line were to be demolished by the Ghana Railway Company (RCMP) before June 5, 2018, the exercise had not yet started.
During a conversation with some occupants, they admitted that RCMP officials had asked them to leave the premises over and over again through dialogues and letters.
However, they indicated that the lack of an alternative settlement for them explained their challenge to RCMP orders.
They declared themselves ready to move if other solutions were offered to them.
"Let the government leave us, we'll go when the train starts to arrive," said Aunt B, a food vendor close to the Dome railway line.
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