John Peter Amewu the former Minister for Railways Development has been released following his arrest by National Security operatives on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
According to reports, the former sector minister was taken in for questioning in connection with the $2 million Sky Train Project.
Reports also indicated Ghana signed a concession agreement with Africa Investment Sky Train Consortium in 2019, with an estimated cost of $3 billion.
However, the project never took off, and concerns were raised about its feasibility and financing.
A 2021 Auditor-General’s report, revealed that the Special Purpose Vehicle set up for the Sky Train project did not have an operational license, yet $2M was disbursed through GIIF under Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi’s leadership.
The project was announced in 2017 and aimed at transforming Ghana’s urban transport in Accra but never saw the light of day after the $ 2 million payment.
Dr Dominic Ayine the Attorney General and Minister for Justice revealed that the the former CEO of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) Solomon Asamoah is on the run.
According to the Attorney General, Solomon Asante is hiding in Senegal to evade prosecution.
He further revealed that authorities tracked him revealing he left Ghana on February 2, authorities first noticed that he was in South Africa.
Speaking to the media on the investigation carried out on the 2m Sky Train scandal so far, Dr Dominic Ayine revealed, “In respect of SkyTrain, we can confirm that the $2 million was paid at the request of the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Infrastructure Fund (GIIF), Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, and then CEO, Solomon Asamoah who is currently hiding in Senegal.
We tracked him first and noticed that he was in South Africa. So, he left Ghana on February 2, to South Africa”, he added.
He further added, “We were monitoring him there, and then he left, and he is now in Senegal. When we contacted him, he told us that he would not come to Ghana until three months from now.
“So we are patiently waiting for him. If he wants to be tried in absentia, that is his choice to make. But we have the prosecutorial authority to prosecute him in absentia.
The person who acted with him to transfer that money, Prof Akumfi is in the country. So, if there is going to be a delay, we will start the prosecution with him being a suspect who is being tried in absentia,” he stated.
Joe Ghartey, the former Railway Development Minister was been invited to the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) for questioning regarding the controversial Sky Train scandal.
The NIB also questioned Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi after he was allegedly fingered in the failed $3 billion Accra Sky Train project.
Meanwhile, former CEO of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) Solomon Asamoah has refuted allegations made by Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, that he had gone into hiding in Senegal to evade justice.
“In fact, I travelled out of Ghana on Friday 21st March 2025 to attend scheduled board meetings as part of a corporate responsibility that was planned well in advance. Prior to my departure, I have been present in Ghana for long periods in both February and March. During this period, I was never contacted by any government official in relation to an invitation to assist in any investigation.
“However, on Saturday, 22nd March 2025, a day after departure from Accra, I was indeed contacted via WhatsApp by an official of the National Intelligence Bureau who requested an online meeting with me which we agreed to hold on Wednesday 26th March at 4 pm. This would enable me to respond to any misconceptions and misunderstandings on any substantive matter related to investments by GIIF.”
