The reconstituted governing board of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) was inaugurated in Accra yesterday with a call on them to provide policy direction to turn around the financial fortunes of the company.
The Minister of Railway Development, John-Peter Amewu, made the call, and tasked them to work hard and initiate strategies to help turn the company into a profitable government entity.
The 10-member board chaired by Daniel Kwame Adzogble, has TogbeAdzimah, Mr Buthelezi Wilson KwashieAkakpo, Dr Samuel KpapiteyEkowAzu, MrAdjeiKwasiBoateng, Mr Joseph AppiahBoateng, ObrempongHimaDekyi XIV, TogbegaTsedzeAtakora VII, DrNuworzaKugbey and Acting Managing Director of GRCL, Lord Laud Quansah, as members.
MrAmewuencouraged the board to manage GRCL well for it to become a profitable company.
He said the government had invested more than $1 billion into the railway sector since assuming office in a bid to make it viable.
“It is my expectation that by the end of the tenure of this board, the company will become very efficient and effective in its operations and the delivery of services. To achieve this goal requires a lot of hard work, commitment and focus from the board, management and staff and other stakeholders. I have full confidence in the board, that the experience and expertise of members would be brought to the fore to support the company towards achieving success,” MrAmewusaid.
Mr Amewu entreated the board members to desist from involving themselves in the day-to-day administration and running of the company.
The GRCL was one of the oldest and previously vibrant companies in the Gold Coast under the British Colony and started as a Civil Service Department in 2001.
The Minister said the name of the company was changed under various governments and in 1977, after the separation of the railways from the ports, the company came to be known as Ghana Railway Corporation.
Mr Amewu said the company was re-registered in 2001 as a Limited Liability Company under the Companies’ Code 1963 (Act 179) with the government as the sole shareholder, to among others, provide rail freight transport service on the main lines in Western, Eastern and Central Railway lines and passenger services on the mainline.
He said in 2008, Parliament passed the Railways Act 2008 (Act 779) and was assented by the President in January 2009
“The passage of the Act led to the establishment of the Ghana Railway Development Authority and this marked the beginning of the process to separate the functions of asset manager, operations and regulations of the Railway sector which was previously played by a single entity, that is, the Ghana Railway Company Limited,” MrAmewusaid.
He said the Ghana Railway Development Authority, therefore took over on January 6, 2009, the functions as a regulator and asset manager while the GRCL remained in existence as an operator and provider of railway freight and passenger transport service.
The Chairman of the GRCL Board, MrAdzogble in remarks on behalf of his colleagues thanked the President, Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo for the confidence reposed in them.
He said the board would work hard to turn the financial fortunes of the company.
“I do not see this appointment as a job but rather a mission; a mission to be able to take the institution to create new fortunes for the country, to be able to chart new pathways, to be able to bring more resources, and to be able to bring more happiness to staff,” Mr Adzogble said.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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