Govt Investigates $2.5 million Scandal

The office of the President is reported to have ordered investigations into how over US$2.55 million (over ?21.7 billion) was illegally transferred to a company about two months ago before being refunded. The investigations will determine whether some officials of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority caused financial loss to the state by paying the amount to SKANSKA, a construction company without appropriate approval.

SKANSKA is undertaking the Phase two of the Kotoka International Airport project.

The Dispatch newspaper says its investigations have revealed that there was an attempt by one Mr Keith Abernethy to stop the payment, but it was too late. The GCAA Board got wind of the deal and raised the alarm based on which a letter was written to the Project Manager to refund the money.

A highly placed official of SKANSKA confirmed that the company has refunded the money to GCAA. He denied that they were wrong but said, ?the jobs of certain people were on the line and we needed to help them. They said they could even be prosecuted?.