News
UMaT wants Land Deed for School of Railways
Prof. Amankwah delivering his address
The Vice Chancellor of University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, has appealed to the Ministry of Railway Development, to help secure a land deed the School of Railways and Infrastructure Development (SRID) at Essikado, in the Western Region.
This, he argued, would help SRID prevent future litigation and also expand its infrastructure to service the needs of the industry.
Prof. Amankwah made the appeal last Saturday when UMaT’s SRID observed the rail transport day on the theme ‘Ghana’s Rail Transport: Challenges and Future Prospects’.
“I appeal to the minister to approve the pending agreement to fully operationalise the Memoranda Of Understanding (MOU) and help in the development of SRID,” he added.
SRID, Prof. Amankwah said, was ready to expand and provide accommodation to prospective students but was faced with land deed.
“Somebody is ready to build a 2, 500 bed facility for us but the issue is that the land does not belong to us. In two years time, SRID will become a college and if government wants to proclaim it as a university, we are ready to release,” he added.
He stated that presently SRID, which began operations in 2020/21 academic year, had about 800 students offering BSc Engineering and seven Certificate Programmes tailored for the railway sector, including Locomotive Engineering, Permanent Way Engineering and Signalling and Telecommunication.
Again, Prof Amankwah said, as part of the school curriculum, BSc students would undertake at least three railway related courses to enable them to earn additional qualification in Railway Engineering at the end of their four-year programme.
Plans for a Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Railway Engineering was also underway.
In 2021, the VC said, SRID in collaboration with AYA Engineering and GIZ began a Summer School Training programme on railway engineering and allied disciplines
UMaT SRID, he explained, championed the rail transport day, in solidarity with gallant railway staff, who worked tirelessly for the benefit of the country and shared ideas on sustainable implementation of the railway master plan of Ghana.
Prof. Amankwah believed the railway sector would continue to see significance improvement to become the once vibrant sector of the economy.
Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, also spoke about operations of railway which he said reduced pressure and traffic on road networks and also improved the internal and external trade among neighboring countries.
Noting challenges of GRCL, Mr Darko-Mensah assured that “government was working hard with the craftiest technology and stakeholders to aid in the lifting of the glory of our reputable institutions again.”
Reminiscing the railway days, Omanhen of Essikado, Nana Kobina Nketsiah V, also reiterated that Ghana could work again with railways.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Essikado
President John Dramani Mahama has visited the Akosombo Dam to assess the impact of a fire incident at a substation operated by the Ghana Grid Company.
The fire is reported to have caused the loss of more than 1,000 megawatts from the national power grid, affecting electricity supply in parts of the country.
During the visit, he inspected ongoing restoration works and received briefings from engineers on efforts to restore power. He commended them for what he described as a swift and professional response to the situation.
According to him, the government remains committed to restoring stable electricity supply as quickly as possible.
He added that steps are also being taken to strengthen the resilience of Ghana’s energy infrastructure to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Ghana Grid Company has not yet provided a detailed timeline for full restoration, but work is ongoing to bring affected systems back on stream.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, says he and his deputy have publicly filed their annual tax returns to demonstrate leadership and encourage compliance among citizens.
In a facebook post, he explained that the move was meant to show that public officials must lead by example when it comes to fulfilling civic duties.
“Leadership must be demonstrated, not declared,” he said.
He commended Ghanaian taxpayers for their continued contribution to national development, noting that tax compliance plays a key role in sustaining government activities.
According to him, paying taxes is both a legal and moral responsibility. He stressed that all citizens, including public officials, professionals, and businesses, are equal before the law and must meet their tax obligations.
He added that tax revenue is essential for funding key sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security.
The minister praised the Ghana Revenue Authority for its work, especially during the ongoing Tax and Good Governance Month in April. He said the initiative helps to educate the public and promote voluntary compliance.
He urged the authority to intensify public education and continue reforms aimed at simplifying tax processes, reducing compliance costs, and improving transparency.
He further encouraged individuals and businesses that are yet to file their returns to do so promptly, adding that support systems and digital platforms are available to assist them.
He said building a strong tax culture would strengthen the country’s economy, improve accountability, and promote fairness in society.
By: Jacob Aggrey
