Residents of Abotia, located along the Tema-Mpakadan rail line in North Tongu District, are appealing to the Ministry of Railway Development to establish pedestrian walkways and access routes for their community to avert train crashes.
Currently, the Abotia community faces danger crossing over the rail line, as residents, including school children, have to navigate and climb rocky slopes on both sides of the rail line to cross the tracks.
“This is how they cross the rail lines. Children have to navigate through this rocks on the slopes of both sides to cross because where they constructed the under-pass is far.During the construction stage of the railway we even demonstrated that they should do it in the middle of the community and create access roads but they didn’t. Even the under-pass when it rains the place get flooded no car can pass there not even pedestrians ” A resident said.
In addition to the pedestrian challenges, residents also seek an access route that would accommodate heavy trucks particularly to cart building materials to the rapidly growing area.
The existing 3-meter height under-bridge located at the far end of the community poses difficulties for large trucks access.
Belko Abubakari, Assembly Member for the Ayimagonu Electoral Area, expressed the community’s struggle in accessing their homes and emphasized the necessity of access roads.
He called on the Ghana Railway Authority to collaborate with the communities to find solutions.
“Prior to the completion of this railwhen they were doing this project there was an arrangement between this community and the rail way authority that they will be doing another passover for heavy trucks that will be taken materials to this community because this particular side of the community is developing area but they didn’t do they promised us to do pavement where behind where the under-pass is where heavy trucks can pass and offload then the medium trucks use the under-pass but as we speak they didn’t do it”.The assembly member said
He added “So this accident is as a result of their failure to do the right thing when doing this project. We are not saying what the driver did was right it was wrong but I think the railways authority should have a second look at it and resolve this problem onces and for all”
The residents’ concerns stem from a recent incident where a train collided with a truck that was stuck on the rail lines while attempting to cross the community on Thursday April 18,2024 after encountering difficulty in using the 3m height underbridge due to the height of the vehicle.
The accident involved one of the newly imported Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trains, produced by a Polish manufacturer, during a test run on the Tema-Mpakadan railway route.
Fortunately,no injuries being reported among passengers.
The 41 year -old driver of the Hyundai Gold 5-ton vehicle ,Abel Dzidotor,was arrested same day and sentenced to six months in jail by the Juapong Circuit Court the next day.
Both the Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, and the District Chief Executive for North Tongu, Divine Osborn Fenu, support the community’s call for access routes and safety measures.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
