The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has directed that investigations be conducted into PSC Tema Shipyard over unpaid ground rent arrears and a controversial US$500,000 payment made to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), raising concerns about documentation lapses and possible conflict of interest.
According to the Auditor-General’s report, PSC Tema Shipyard is obligated to pay an annual ground rent of GH¢6,000 to GPHA over a 25-year lease period. However, GPHA has reported that the shipyard is in arrears to the tune of US$6.6 million.
The report indicated that management of PSC Tema Shipyard attributed the non-payment of the ground rent to prolonged financial difficulties. Despite these challenges, the Auditor-General noted that a payment of US$500,000 was made to GPHA in 2024.
Appearing before the PAC on Tuesday, January 13, the current Chief Executive Officer of PSC Tema Shipyard, Alhaji Osman Sulemana, explained that the payment was made under the previous administration.
He further disclosed that the former head of the shipyard, who authorised the payment, was seconded from GPHA and was simultaneously serving as Director for the proposed Keta Port at the time. According to the CEO, the current management is reviewing the transaction to establish the circumstances under which it was made and to regularise the situation.
The Auditor-General also found that the payment was not supported by any documentation and that no valid agreement existed to justify the transfer of the funds.
Reacting to the disclosures, Member of Parliament for Ketu North and PAC member, Edem Agbana, raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest, questioning the propriety of the arrangement.
“The revelation from the CEO are serious issues because if a staff on secondment from GPHA is the one making the payment back to GPHA, there are also issues of conflict of interest. This same person was acting as Chief Executive Officer for the non-existent Keta Port,” Mr Agbana stated.
He further questioned whether the US$500,000 payment was captured in the handing-over notes, stressing that the transfer involved public funds between two state institutions and must be properly accounted for.
The PAC has subsequently directed PSC Tema Shipyard to submit all relevant documentation and provide detailed explanations regarding the transaction as part of its ongoing scrutiny of the Auditor-General’s report.
