GRC gives ultimatum to 6 firms

Story : Rose Hayford Darko & Fauziatu Adam, Tema  

SIX companies have been given a two-week ultimatum to relocate their lines and cables to enable work on the laying of rail tracks to go on as scheduled at the Japan Motors Railway Station in Tema.

The companies are the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Vodafone Ghana, GHACEM and Sahara Oil.

 A tour of the project site by board members of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) and some service providers revealed that the pipelines and cables belonging to the six companies had been laid in the path of the rail line, causing the project to suffer some challenges.

Estimated at U$8.35 million, the project, which commenced on April 19, 2011, is about 70 per cent complete to link the Asoprochona rail line to Accra.

The project, which is expected to be completed in the next four months, comprises two new platforms, a station, seven highway crossings, drains and seven main culverts.

Another rail project is under consideration to link Akosombo with the rail system.

The obstacles posed by the cables have contributed to some delay, without which the Israeli contractor on the project, Amandis Holding, would have completed it on schedule.

The Chairman of the board, Mr Dan Markins, called on the service providers to relocate their lines and cables in two weeks to enable work to go on as scheduled.

President John Evans Atta Mills cut the sod for the 3.5-kilometre rail project to serve commuters from Tema Community One to the Tema Harbour.

Mr Markins noted that the government’s intention to revive the rail system in the country was on course to reduce traffic on the country’s road network and make commuting easier and accessible.

He said delays had not been anticipated, considering the pace of work, and called on the contractor to maintain the pace to ensure that the  work was completed on time.

The Managing Director of Amandis Holding, Mr Yaron Tal, gave the assurance that the company would ensure that the contract was executed promptly after the obstacles had been relocated.