The $2 million controversy surrounding Ghana’s defunct Sky Train project has taken centre stage in a High Court, with two former executives of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) in the dock but conspicuously missing from the legal and political scrutiny are key state actors whose roles remain critical to the project’s failure.
At the heart of the prosecution are Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the former GIIF Board Chair, and Solomon Asamoah, the Fund’s former Chief Executive Officer. The two men face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit a crime and willfully causing financial loss to the state, all tied to a payment made in 2019 to Africa Investor Holdings Limited. The money was meant for feasibility work on the ambitious Accra Sky Train project a vision that has since been abandoned.
However, the courtroom drama has cast a shadow wider than the accused, pulling into question the level of ministerial and administrative oversight that accompanied the disbursement of the funds.
Former Minister for Railways Development Joe Ghartey, who was the public face of the project during its high-profile launch, maintains he had no control over the $2 million transaction. He insists the Ministry had no funding allocation for the Sky Train initiative and that the financing arrangements were solely between GIIF and the investor group.
Yet, critics argue that this explanation falls short. As the political lead on the project and a vocal advocate of its potential, Ghartey’s insistence that he bore no financial responsibility has drawn skepticism. Observers are questioning how a Minister could spearhead a public-private partnership, publicly endorsed by the President, without ensuring proper oversight mechanisms were in place especially when public funds were involved.
Further complicating the puzzle is the silence surrounding the Chief Director of the Ministry of Railways Development at the time. As the administrative head and chief accounting officer of the Ministry, the Chief Director would typically be involved in vetting agreements, monitoring fund flows, and ensuring compliance with public financial management protocols.
No mention has been made of the Chief Director in the investigations or ongoing trial. There has been no public indication that they were even questioned, let alone held accountable. This absence has fueled suspicions of selective prosecution and institutional breakdown.
The unanswered question remains: how did such a substantial payment escape both ministerial and administrative checks within the Ministry?
The 2018 signing ceremony in Johannesburg, where Ghartey, flanked by President Nana Akufo-Addo and South African officials, endorsed the deal, was heralded as a milestone for African collaboration. But five years later, the promised rail cars never arrived, and the entire enterprise failed to meet essential milestones, no Parliamentary approval, no Cabinet clearance, and no Value for Money audits.
Despite the lack of these foundational checks, GIIF moved ahead with a significant financial commitment. The Attorney-General’s charges allege that even the GIIF Board did not approve the payment, suggesting deep internal lapses within the Fund. But that does not explain how such a flagship government initiative progressed without red flags being raised by the Ministry.
Meanwhile, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi’s repeated absence from court proceedings on health grounds has slowed the trial, drawing concerns from the presiding judge, Justice Comfort Tasiame, and the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai. The state’s resolve to pursue the case has not wavered, but the omission of certain names and roles continues to undermine confidence in the process.
The Sky Train affair has thus become more than just a legal battle—it is a mirror reflecting the systemic weaknesses in Ghana’s governance structures. With public trust at stake, calls for a broader investigation are intensifying, not only to uncover who approved what, but also to expose how Ghana’s safeguards against financial mismanagement failed at multiple levels.
For many Ghanaians, this case is no longer just about two men in court. It is about restoring confidence in public institutions and ensuring that political prestige does not override fiscal responsibility. Until those who facilitated or failed to prevent the $2 million loss are fully identified and held accountable, the story of the Sky Train will remain a cautionary tale of missed oversight and selective justice.
