Board Chairman, Accountant Detained
as NIB Cracked-down on Corruption Flagged NPP Officials
Former Railway Development Minister, Joe Ghartey, was hauled in for questioning yesterday Monday, 24th, as the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) demanded answers about the ill-fated Ghana Sky Train venture.
Ghartey, a key figure in the Akufo-Addo administration, became the latest target of scrutiny following the arrest of GIIF’s ex-board chairman, Prof Christopher Ameyaw Ekumfi, over the same project.
The ex-Esikado-Ketan MP, who served as minister from 2017 to 2021, faces an intense probe into the feasibility and expenses linked to the ambitious urban railway undertaking.
The Ghana Sky Train initiative, launched during the previous government, aimed to tackle urban traffic woes, specifically in Accra, but derailed without explanation.
With a hefty $3 billion price tag, the project signed into a concession deal by Ghartey faced heavy criticism amid concerns about funding and viability.
Notably, an exposed $2 million payment for zero progress had stirred controversy, with the ORAL team earmarking the case for investigation.
Despite GIIF’s disclosure of the expenditure in 2022, no efforts were made by the government to reclaim the sum, as reiterated in the Auditor-General’s report.
Amid mounting accusations from the Minority in Parliament, Ghartey remained steadfast, deflecting blame onto GIIF and dismissing critics as purveyors of propaganda.
He vehemently denied any involvement in the disputed payment, reiterating his ministry’s role as the facilitator rather than the payer.
As NIB’s spotlight intensifies over alleged financial misconduct in ghastly projects like the Sky Train, key figures like Ghartey find themselves entangled in a web of scrutiny and uncertainty.
In a parallel investigation into corruption linked to the National Service Authority, NIB’s crackdown widened with the detention of NSA’s accountant, Yaw Danso.
The spectacle unfolds as the Bureau expands its reach towards former officials embroiled in payroll fraud, casting a shadow over key figures like Ghartey amidst the escalating scrutiny.
