Unknown individuals have stolen railway bars from sections of the Achimota-Nsawam stretch in the Greater Accra Region.
Residents along the affected railway stretch reported witnessing about 20 men equipped with tools used to dismantle the bars.
According to the residents, the perpetrators operated in two batches—the first group began the theft at midnight, while the second group removed more bars around 6:00 a.m.
“We woke up to find them removing the bars. We don’t know who they are or where they came from,” a resident alleged.
The incident reportedly occurred two months ago. When residents questioned the men, they were told that “authority from above” had ordered the removal of the bars.
“The following day, when they returned, they came with police officers,” another resident recounted to JoyNews.
A youth leader in the community claimed the men removed the bars on four separate occasions. Despite residents’ efforts to stop them, their actions continued unabated.
“We confronted them and asked where they were taking the railway bars. They claimed they were sent by the Flagstaff House and even presented a document they said was from the Office of the President,” the youth leader alleged.
Deputy Minister for Railway Development, Kwaku Asante-Boateng, disclosed that it would cost the state $5 million per kilometre to replace the stolen railway bars.
The Achimota-Nsawam stretch, which is over a century old and built during colonial rule, was recently renovated by the government before the theft.
The incident has disrupted railway operations along the stretch, causing inconvenience for commuters and raising concerns about infrastructure security.
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