The Lens Vindicated

Off-Loading Our Railways To A Ghost Company

If only the Minister for Harbours, Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi had paid heed to The Lens when we published in March this year that indications are that the Kufuor Administration was once again falling for an IFC/CNTCI-like scam, this time in the choice of company with which they are negotiating to take over the Ghana?s Railway business, the Minister would not now be facing the huge embarrassment he is facing today.

Way back in March this year The Lens was the first newspaper to reveal that there are lots of ?questions about the bona fides of United Rail, the company with which the Minister for Railways, Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi, is leading a delegation to negotiate on behalf of Ghana.?

The Lens revealed further that, ?for starters, a check on the company?s status revealed two companies bearing the same name, neither of which is even two years old.

The first of the two companies, United Rail (International) Limited, which has its address as C/O Philip Brown & Co, 46 Blandford Street London W1u 7ht, and has Company No. 05066976 was incorporated on 08/03/2004, as a Private Limited Company, with no stated nature of business. The other United Rail, is registered as ?United Rail Maintenance Ltd?, has as its address, Oak House, The Street Gosfield Essex Co9 1tp, has company Company No. 05323998, was incorporated as Private Limited Company on 5th January 2005. This company also did not state the nature of its business.?

Rather than take his time to conduct further investigations into the background of United Rail and its affiliate companies, the Minister chose to hold a press conference where he sought to create the impression that The Lens story was unfounded. Today the chickens have come home to roost, as it were.