Officials have reported that the recently acquired train from Poland in Ghana collided with a lorry during a trial run in the Eastern Region.
During the test run on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, the train struck the abandoned vehicle, resulting in minor damage to the cabin but all passengers, the train driver, and railway inspectors were unharmed, according to BBC.
The police confirmed the arrest of the driver of the abandoned lorry.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Railways Development on Friday, Railways Minister John Peter Amewu mentioned that at the time of the accident, there was no one inside the lorry. The ministry also noted that the lorry was not parked at an authorized level crossing.
Despite the activation of the emergency braking system, the train could not stop in time to avoid the collision with the vehicle, the ministry added.
Expressing his dismay on Facebook, Amewu described the incident as “unfortunate, irresponsible, and unpatriotic!”
The Ghana Police, in a separate statement, disclosed that initial findings indicated the suspected driver abandoned the lorry on the railway line, leading to the collision with the train.
They also stated that the investigation into the incident will continue to ensure the safe operation of the railway system.
Ghana procured two diesel-powered trains from Poland to enhance its railway transport system. The first Diesel Multiple Unit train, intended for the new 100km (60-mile) Tema-Mpakadan line, arrived in the country two weeks ago.
Yaw Osuwu, the head of the railway agency, informed local media that the second train is scheduled for shipment in May and is expected to arrive in August.
Meanwhile, the initial train, consisting of 12 modern passenger coaches, was undergoing a trial run on the new route aimed at improving public transportation and easing access to Ghana’s eastern corridor.
Local media reports suggest that this railway line forms part of a broader 1,000 km initiative to connect Ghana and Burkina Faso via the Tema port.