Ex-GIIF Board chair Prof. Ameyaw-Ekumfi, ex-CEO Solomon Asamoah charged over $2m Sky Train deal

Criminal charges have been filed against Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), and Solomon Asamoah, former Chief Executive Officer of the same institution, in connection with the controversial Sky Train project.

The two have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and willfully causing financial loss to the state. This follows investigations into the failed Sky Train deal, an ambitious but ultimately unrealized urban transportation project intended to ease traffic congestion in Accra.

According to a charge sheet filed by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi and Mr. Asamoah allegedly conspired and acted together with a common intent to cause a financial loss of $2 million to the Republic of Ghana. The funds, which belonged to the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, were allegedly paid to Africa Investor Holdings Limited without proper authorization.

The money was reportedly intended for preliminary works on a proposed urban Sky Train system in Accra. However, no construction or significant physical progress on the project has ever been made.

The Sky Train project was initially announced as a high-profile investment meant to transform public transport in Ghana’s capital. In 2019, the Ghana government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Africa Investor Holdings during the Africa Investment Forum in South Africa. The project was expected to be funded through a public-private partnership, but concerns were raised over its feasibility and due diligence processes.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the case has reignited public scrutiny over high-value state-backed projects that fail to materialize, raising questions about governance, accountability, and the prudent use of public funds.