The woes of the Ghana Railways Company Limited (GRCL) have deepened as illegal mining activities have now consumed large portions of the Takoradi–Nsuta railway line, once the backbone of the company’s operations.
For decades, the Takoradi–Nsuta line was the lifeline of Ghana’s railway sector, transporting an average of 80,000 tonnes of manganese monthly. This steady haulage not only kept the struggling GRCL afloat but also subsidised passenger services along the Sekondi–Takoradi corridor. At its peak, the line provided reliable revenue and ensured regular commuter services for residents.
However, years of neglect, underinvestment, and poor maintenance gradually eroded the company’s capacity to operate the line effectively. Frequent derailments, unpaid salaries, and a lack of modernisation crippled haulage operations. Even interventions by the Ghana Manganese Company and government-backed rehabilitation attempts failed to restore efficiency. By the end of 2024, manganese haulage had virtually stopped, plunging the company deeper into financial crisis.
The crisis has now taken an even more destructive turn. Illegal small-scale miners, popularly known as galamseyers, have encroached directly on the rail infrastructure. Shocking images and videos obtained by ConnectNews show young men mining beneath and around sections of the track at Achem, between Bonsawire and Nsuta. The reckless excavation has stripped away the soil supporting the rail line, leaving stretches of track hanging precariously in the air. Several metres have already been destroyed, rendering parts of the line unusable.
Railway workers and local residents have expressed alarm, warning that the destruction not only threatens the survival of GRCL but also poses grave risks to communities living near the line. “The tracks are collapsing because the miners are digging right under them. If trains were still running here, we could have seen major disasters,” a resident lamented.
Industry analysts caution that the destruction of the Takoradi–Nsuta line could deal a fatal blow to Ghana’s railway revival agenda, especially at a time when the government has pledged to modernise the sector and reduce reliance on road transport for heavy cargo. The manganese haulage contract alone was once the company’s most lucrative revenue stream. Without it, GRCL faces the real possibility of insolvency.
The development also underscores the broader national crisis posed by galamsey, which continues to destroy rivers, farmlands, and now, vital state infrastructure. Calls are mounting for the Ministry of Railway Development, security agencies, and local authorities to urgently intervene before the damage becomes irreversible.
For many observers, the destruction of the Takoradi–Nsuta line is not just a blow to the railway company but a symbolic reminder of how unchecked illegal mining is steadily eroding Ghana’s economic foundations.
