TUC warns against resuming train services without paying workers
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has cautioned the Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) against resuming train operations without resolving long-standing labour issues with railway workers.
This follows an announcement by the GRDA that passenger services along the Tema–Mpakadan corridor will resume on October 1, 2025.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, September 24, TUC Secretary-General Joshua Ansah described the situation of railway workers as dire, revealing that members of the Railway Workers Union of Ghana have not received salaries for 12 consecutive months.
“This press conference is about Ghana Railway Company Limited, a company wholly owned by the government of Ghana. As you may already be aware, it’s been 12 solid months since the workers of the company were paid. Just imagine the situation of a worker and their families in today’s Ghana without a salary for 12 calendar months.”
Mr. Ansah warned that operating trains without resolving these issues or involving the Ghana Railway Company Limited, the state-owned operator, would be both unsustainable and unacceptable.
“The TUC would like to caution the Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Railway Development Authority to desist from the unholy attempt to run the trains without the operator. The Ghana Railway Company Limited, which is the operator, the ministry can’t purport to run the Mpakadan rail line and other lines without the operator. We will resist any attempt to sideline the Ghana Railway Company Limited,” he said.
Earlier the same day, GRDA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Frederick Appoh announced that services on the Tema–Mpakadan corridor would resume from October 1, 2025. He stated that the operational setbacks, such as infrastructure defects and land encroachment have been addressed.
However, the TUC maintains that without resolving the workers’ salary arrears and officially involving the designated operator, any attempt to relaunch passenger services would be premature and potentially confrontational.
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