The Ministry of Railway Development has raised concerns about the impact of illegal mining activities on the construction of sections of the Western Railway line from Nsuta to the Takoradi Port.
The Ministry noted that the contractor has had to reconstruct certain completed sections due to excavations by illegal miners.
The ongoing need to clean up silt left in drains and reclaim land affected by these activities is costing the government millions of dollars and jeopardizing the structural integrity of the railway formation, according to Peter Amewu, the Minister for Railway Development.
“It is our expectation to complete the connection between Nsuta and the Takoradi Port by the end of 2024 for the haulage of manganese to the port. However, the project is facing serious challenges from the activities of illegal miners along the railway corridor.
“Illegal miners are excavating within a few meters from the newly constructed railway lines, compromising the structural integrity of the railway formation. This is causing additional significant costs to the project, and in some instances, the contractor had to reconstruct certain sections already completed, clean up more silt left by the miners in drains and culverts, and reclaim land deteriorated through illegal mining, which is costing the government millions of dollars,” he said.