In a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings regarding the Saglemi Housing Project, Eric Amankwaah Jnr., a Schedule Officer at Ghana’s Ministry of Finance, testified in the High Court in Accra.
The project, initially budgeted at $200 million, is currently under investigation for alleged financial misconduct.
As the second prosecution witness, Amankwaah defended his actions, emphasizing strict adherence to established financial protocols.
Under cross-examination by Godwin Kudzo Edudzi Tamakloe, counsel for former Works and Housing Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, he outlined the payment processes he managed, stating that all requests complied with the Escrow Management Agreement (EMA), particularly its clauses governing financial disbursements.
Amankwaah clarified that his responsibilities did not include assessing the quality of work done on the project.
Instead, his role focused on ensuring that payments were validated in accordance with EMA provisions.
He made it clear that the certification of completed work rested with the project consultant, Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL), and not with the Ministry of Finance or himself.
He confirmed that an advance payment of $80 million—40% of the total contract amount—was issued to the contractor, Construtora OAS, during the tenure of former Minister E.T. Mensah.
Throughout his testimony, Amankwaah reiterated his commitment to following protocol, stating that no payments were processed without certified documentation from the Ministry of Works and Housing.
Further questioning by Reindolf Twumasi Ankrah, representing Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, former Chief Director of the Ministry of Works and Housing, explored Amankwaah’s observations at the project site.
He acknowledged witnessing the completion of various infrastructure elements, including multi-story buildings and road networks, but noted that his visits did not constitute thorough inspections.
In response to allegations of misallocated funds, Amankwaah disclosed that validated payments to Construtora OAS amounted to $179.9 million, as detailed in his witness statement.
However, he admitted that he could not recall specific figures for certain periods.
He also noted that payment requests included signatures from authorized officials, such as Major (Rtd) M.S. Tara and Mr. Patrick Nomo.
Concluding his testimony, Amankwaah stated that he had never been questioned by ministry officials about his role in processing payments, underscoring his compliance with the established procedures throughout the project.
The case continues to draw attention as it unfolds in the High Court.
