Former Minister of Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, has denied $2 million payment claims for the Accra Sky Train project during his tenure.
He clarifies that the payment was made by the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), not the ministry. The Minority in Parliament criticized the government for the payment without proper approvals.
In an interview with the media, Mr. Ghartey dismisses the Minority’s claims as propaganda and points out that GIIF handles such payments for projects like the now-defunct sky train initiative. He suggests that the Minority seeks answers from GIIF for their queries.
“It is the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund that paid the money and the Fund is mandated to make such payments and so if the Minority wants anyone to refund the money, they should tell the Auditor General to ask the Fund to refund the money.”
Mr. Ghartey added that due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the South African company scheduled to undertake the project couldn’t return to Ghana. As a result, his engagement with them on the project came to an end without any payment discussions taking place.
“I went to South Africa in 2018 to make the presentation because the quality of life is affected by heavy traffic and then the South Africans came. The company went back and said they wanted a concession agreement of thirty years and I said it was not possible. The company went away and was supposed to come in 2020 and then there was COVID-19.”
“And so as far as my Ministry is concerned, we did not give them any money. I didn’t have any money and I didn’t have the power to pay any money and I did not pay any money. I don’t have the power to write for payment to the company in Mauritius. GIIF [Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund] is the statutory corporation that has the power to make such payments and so you can ask them.”