12 arrested for damaging Takoradi–Nsuta railway line

Twelve people suspected of engaging in illegal mining have been arrested for allegedly causing damage to a section of the railway line that connects Takoradi to Nsuta through Akyem in the Western Region.

The suspects, all residents of Akyem, include Denis Adom, Alex Kofi Acquah, Kwame Simon, Isaac Arhin, Larry Koku, Lambon Moysi, Ali Asoma, Nurudeen Kobina, Jude Azumah, Yendari Bonber, Jonathan Ayandor, and Daniel Combat.

They face charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, undertaking mining without a license, and causing unlawful damage to public infrastructure.

All twelve are currently in police custody and are expected to appear in court on October 7, 2025.

Their arrest follows the circulation of a viral video showing widespread illegal mining near the rail line and an attack on a staff member of the Ghana Railway Company.

Nathaniel Hensen, a company official who led a routine inspection of the Takoradi–Nsuta route, described the scene at Akyem as shocking.

“The land had been dug so deeply that the railway track was left hanging. When I tried to stop them, they attacked me and sprayed me with muddy water from their machines. This is a national asset and we need to protect it,” he said.

Authorities say the area has seen repeated incidents of mining-related damage, despite earlier efforts to address the problem.

Meetings between the Ghana Railway Company, traditional leaders, and the local community had resulted in agreements to create buffer zones and reclaim affected land, but little has been done.

Railway officials say they are growing frustrated by the lack of cooperation and ongoing destruction of essential national infrastructure.