Former Railway Minister, Joe Ghartey has attributed the government’s inability to pursue the Sky train dream to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2018, Africa Investor Holdings Limited established the Ghana Sky Train Limited, incorporating a Special Purpose Vehicle in Mauritius for the Accra Sky Train Project’s development through a Design, Build, Finance, and Operate arrangement.
It was revealed that the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund made a $2 million payment to acquire 10 ordinary shares in the Special Purpose Vehicle.
The Auditor General’s 2021 report characterised the transaction as a net liability.
Speaking to JoyNews’ Evans Mensah, the Member of Parliament for Esikado Ketan in the Western Region, Joe Ghartey, explained that the investors withdrew due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The South Africans pulled pout after Covid… What they wrote to me was that because of Covid, the things have changed, they can’t come. That is what they wrote to me, that we have to wait,” he said.
On the question of whether the project was worth resuming, the MP indicated that it is “up to them [government].”
“It depends on how much money you have, it [also] depends on whether the people are prepared to do it,” Mr Ghartey added.
During the interview, the legislator also publicly stated his position about being a potential running mate to the NPP presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
The lawmaker categorically stated that he is not interested in becoming a running mate or vice president.
“I am not interested in becoming the running mate to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. I have not even considered it… Vice President is not something that I crave to be, he said.
The politician further acknowledged the prevailing sentiment within the NPP that the running mate for the party’s presidential candidate should come from the Ashanti Region.
Source: Joynews
