AG drags Former GIIF Chair, CEO to court over failed Sky Train project

Two former officials of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) face criminal charges. They are linked to the failed Accra Sky Train project. This project cost the state $2 million but never happened.

The Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, filed charges in the High Court. The accused are Solomon Asamoah, former CEO of GIIF, and Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, former Board Chair.

The charges include causing financial loss to the state and conspiracy to commit a crime. They also face accusations of misusing public funds.

Prosecutors say they authorized a $2 million payment in February 2019. This payment was made to Africa Investor Holdings Limited for feasibility work on the Sky Train project. However, it was done without proper board approval or due diligence.

The Sky Train project launched in 2018 as a public-private partnership. It aimed to improve public transportation in Accra with a modern rail network. A memorandum of understanding supported it between several parties.

Years later, the project has stalled indefinitely with no infrastructure built. Investigations by the Attorney General's office found serious breaches of governance procedures at GIIF.

The Attorney General claims that Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi and Solomon Asamoah bypassed standard processes for this payment. The state seeks accountability for what it calls an unjustifiable use of public funds on a non-existent project.