NIB invites former minister Joe Ghartey over $2m sky train project saga

Former Minister for Railways Development Joe Ghartey, has reportedly been invited by the National Investigation Bureau (NIB).

According to a report by 3News, the former minister was summoned in connection with the controversial Sky Train Project, which was under his jurisdiction during his tenure from 2017 to 2021.

This latest development comes barely 24 hours after Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), was also reportedly detained by the NIB as part of investigations into alleged misappropriation of funds.

However, his lawyer, Ken Kuranchie, later confirmed that he had been released.

ALSO READ: Meet heartbroken 70-year-old Veronica who has been married and divorced 20 times

Background

The Sky Train was proposed as an elevated, air-propelled light rail system, using steel wheels and rails on an elevated track to reduce drag and optimise energy efficiency.

The project, championed by the former administration of President Nana Akufo-Addo, aimed to develop five routes—four radial routes originating from a proposed Sky Train terminal at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, and a fifth route providing an intra-city commuter loop.

The total track length across all routes was expected to span 194 kilometres, with the goal of easing Accra’s growing traffic congestion and boosting economic activity in the capital.

ALSO READ: Icardi’s ex-wife Wanda demands GH₵8,113,000 every month in ongoing divorce drama

In November 2018, the government signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) with the South African-based Africa Investment (Ai) SkyTrain Consortium for the construction of the Accra Sky Train Project.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Africa Investment Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, by then Railways Development Minister, Joe Ghartey.

The Auditor-General’s report on Ghana’s public boards, corporations, and statutory institutions for the period ending 31st December 2021 revealed that $2 million had been paid in 2019 as a premium to acquire ordinary shares for the development of the Sky Train Project.

The report stated that Africa Investor Holdings Limited incorporated a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in Mauritius to establish Ghana Sky Train Limited, which was intended to develop the project under a Design, Build, Finance, and Operate (DBFO) concession arrangement.

With investigations still ongoing, the public awaits further clarity on the fate of the $2 million investment and whether any individuals will be held accountable for the failed project.