Paul Adom-Otchere, the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), is expected to report again to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) tomorrow, Tuesday, August 5, 2025, to assist with ongoing investigations into a controversial revenue assurance contract at the Kotoka International Airport.
The GACL, had contracted Evatex Logistics Ltd to provide revenue assurance services relating to cargo operations at the airport.
Mr Adom-Otchere spent a night in the custody of the OSP before being released on Friday, to his legal team, including former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame. His release followed the OSP’s approval of revised bail conditions after negotiations with his lawyers.
In a statement issued on Friday, 1st August, the OSP confirmed that the revised terms satisfied the objectives of the original bail conditions and had been secured by the Jospong Group of Companies, acting as surety.
“The revised terms, which meet the objectives of the original bail conditions, have been secured by the Jospong Group of Companies,” the OSP stated, adding that the matter remains under active investigation.
Mr Adom-Otchere was recently charged in connection with the contract between GACL and a private firm, which was allegedly awarded without the full approval of the Board. He was initially detained after failing to meet bail requirements, having informed investigators that he did not own any landed property in Ghana.
Under the original conditions, he was required to provide two properties (of unspecified value) registered in his name, terms he could not satisfy.
In contrast, his co-accused, Otchere Kwame Baffour Awuah, Group Executive of Commercial Services at GACL, and Albert Adjetey Adjei-Laryea, CEO of Devnest Systems, met their bail terms and were not held in custody.
The three are being investigated in connection with a controversial contract with Evatex Logistics Ltd, a company reportedly linked to the owner of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML). The OSP is probing possible procurement breaches, including the awarding of a sole-sourced contract to a firm allegedly lacking GACL Board approval.
While the OSP has yet to provide a timeline for prosecution, the acceptance of the new bail arrangement is seen as an indication that the investigation has entered a new phase.
The Jospong Group, one of Ghana’s largest conglomerates, owns Ignite Media Group, which operates Metro TV, where Mr Adom-Otchere serves as the host of the political talk show “Good Evening Ghana.”
Meanwhile, private legal practitioner and Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, Abraham Amaliba, has called on Mr Adom-Otchere to address the substantive issues raised by the OSP rather than deflecting with claims of personal grievance.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, 2nd August, Mr Amaliba said Mr Adom-Otchere could not dismiss the probe as mere victimisation over reported bad blood between him and the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng.
“He should stop hiding behind claims of a personal grudge with Kissi Agyebeng and confront the issues as they are,” Mr Amaliba said. “Yes, I’m aware he has written extensively against the Special Prosecutor, but is that why he was invited? The answer is no.”
The Managing Director of GACL, Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, has since terminated the controversial contract with Evatex Logistics Ltd. No payments have been made to date. The company was officially served a termination letter on 28th July 2025.
The OSP is investigating the circumstances surrounding the award of the contract to Evatex, a company affiliated with SML. According to the contract’s terms, Evatex was to receive 15% of any previously concealed royalties or revenue unearthed during the assignment. However, to date, no such concealment has been reported, and GACL has made no payments to the firm.
Mr Amaliba noted that the issues raised by the OSP are serious and relate to potential breaches of the Public Procurement Act. He criticised the use of sole-sourcing in this instance, alleging that the contract was later altered and that Evatex lacked the requisite experience or licensing to perform revenue assurance services.
JoyNews reports that documents show the GACL Managing Director had, prior to signing the Evatex contract, directed a special audit of the cargo section at Kotoka International Airport in June 2024. That audit, however, revealed no revenue concealment or undercutting to justify the award of such a contract.
“This is not witch-hunting,” Mr Amaliba stressed. “This is about accountability. The question is simple—did you engage in a sole-source contract, and did that contract end up being executed by another company?”
He rejected Mr Adom-Otchere’s earlier claims that the matter was solely the responsibility of management. “Board members play a crucial role in shaping policy. You cannot absolve the board of responsibility, particularly when the contract had clear financial implications involving the board.”
He further noted that violations of the Procurement Act are often treated as strict liability offences in court. “As former board chair, he has questions to answer,” Mr Amaliba insisted.
He also raised concerns about the role of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), questioning how the contract was approved when the Institute of Chartered
Accountants did not license the company involved to conduct revenue assurance work.
“When you are sole-sourcing, the assumption is that the entity is uniquely qualified. But this company wasn’t even licensed for the job,” he said.
Mr Amaliba urged public officials to be prepared to face scrutiny. “Let’s focus on the facts. Whether or not he has a personal issue with the OSP is beside the point.”
According to the contract, termination could be effected “without cause” by giving the other party one month’s written notice, a clause that GACL has now invoked.
Investigations are ongoing, with additional individuals expected to be invited for questioning. The OSP’s primary focus remains on the awarding process and the alleged links between Evatex and SML, a firm not directly party to the revenue assurance contract.
Source: theheraldghana.com
