Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi was arrested for authorizing a $2 million payment to Africa Investor Holdings, which managed the Sky Train Project. Initially announced by the Akufo-Addo government in 2019, the project faced delays and lack of feasibility. Former ministers Joe Ghartey and John Peter Amewu expressed concerns over funding and investor withdrawal, leading to the acknowledgment that the project may not be realized due to financial restrictions.
Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund and the Public Procurement Authority, was arrested by the National Intelligence Bureau on February 23, 2025. His arrest stemmed from allegations that he authorized a $2 million payment to Africa Investor Holdings, the company spearheading the Sky Train Project, which was initiated by the previous government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The Ghana Sky Train Project was first established in 2018 under Ghana Sky Train Limited, aiming to create a special purpose vehicle in Mauritius to develop the Accra Sky Train Project through a Design, Build, Finance, and Operate model. The proposed line includes 194 kilometers of track with five routes radiating from a central terminal at the newly planned Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.
In November 2019, the Ghanaian government signed a concession agreement for the project’s development. President Akufo-Addo hailed the signing as a pivotal moment for the nation, calling it a “happy day for Ghana and her good people” and a significant step towards making the project a reality.
However, a 2021 Auditor-General’s report revealed that the government had expended $2 million towards the Sky Train without any tangible progress. This amount was linked to the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund’s purchase of shares in the Ai Sky Train Consortium, yet the feasibility studies were left incomplete.
Former Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, who initiated the Sky Train Project, claimed he never authorized the $2 million payment and directed inquiries to the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund for clarification. He attributed project delays to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to key investors retracting their support.
Ghartey explained that South African investors withdrew, citing changing circumstances post-COVID-19, and emphasized that resuming the project hinged on government readiness and available funding. Former Minister John Peter Amewu, who succeeded Ghartey, stated that the government would not proceed with the Sky Train due to financial constraints.
Amewu noted that the project’s complexity and capital-intensive nature posed significant challenges, indicating that the government was prioritized other ongoing projects instead. He provided insights into the railway construction cost disparity compared to road infrastructure, asserting that a kilometer of railway required significantly more investment, complicating the government’s fiscal capacity amidst high debt levels.
The Sky Train Project has faced significant controversies, leading to the arrest of Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi for authorizing a payment amidst stalled progress. Despite initial enthusiasm from the Akufo-Addo government, ongoing financial challenges and a lack of investor confidence have halted the project’s advancement. The situation exemplifies the complexities involved in significant infrastructure developments, particularly under financial constraints and the impact of unexpected global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Original Source: www.ghanaweb.com
