Hot Source…In US$178 million DRIP contract controversy
The Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has reiterated that he possesses evidence to substantiate allegations of a US$2 million overpayment and tax evasion against JA Plant Pool, suppliers of equipment for the government’s District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), a contract valued at US$178 million.
Dr Ayine first raised the claims on October 22, during the Government Accountability Series. JA Plant Pool, owned by Joseph Siaw Agyepong, founder of Zoomlion Waste Management Company and a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies, promptly denied the allegations, asserting that claims of over-invoicing and tax evasion were factually incorrect.
In response to the company’s statement on 24 October, Dr Ayine indicated that he would ensure the alleged overpayment is recovered. He told 3news in an exclusive interview:
“I will, at the appropriate time, respond. We have investigated, and we have the evidence. So if they are making that claim, we’ll come out with the truth. What I said, I stand by what I said. And if they want to challenge it, they can do so. And if they are not conforming to the demand that I’ve made, I have the courts to help me to do so.”
On 24 October, JA Plant Pool (Ghana) Limited (JAPP) issued a statement refuting the Attorney-General’s claims regarding the company’s supply of heavy-duty equipment for DRIP.
The programme, launched by the Ghanaian government, seeks to improve rural access by upgrading and maintaining district roads, thereby fostering economic growth and enhancing social connectivity.
At a press briefing during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, Dr Ayine disclosed that the contract between the Government of Ghana and JAPP, signed in February 2024, had been examined by the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Committee.
Following the review, the A-G said his office had scrutinised the documents to identify potential criminality before initiating prosecution, to mitigate the risk of acquittals.
According to Dr Ayine, the investigation revealed an overpayment of US$2 million under the DRIP contract with JAPP. He stated:
“In respect of the DRIP Programme, I have demanded a refund of Two Million United States Dollars (USD 2,000,000.00) from J.A. Plant Pool after investigations revealed financial irregularities in the District Roads Improvement Programme. Although the contract sum was USD 176 million, records showed that a total of USD 178 million was paid, resulting in an excess of USD 2 million.”
However, JAPP, in a statement on Thursday, 23 October 2025, countered that the Ghanaian government hadnot made any overpayment. The company clarified that the contract sum was in fact US$178,704,739.50, consistent with both the procurement process and the contract itself. It attributed the alleged discrepancy to a clerical error by the approving authorities, and the company requested that it be rectified.
The statement read: “The total contract price was stated as USD 178,704,739.50, consistent with Clause 3.1.1 of the contract, which expressly provides that ‘this amount represents the full contract price for the supply of the equipment by the Supplier.’
The Public Procurement Authority’s approval document stated the amount of USD 178,704,739.50, which was consistent with the same USD 178,704,739.50 clearly indicated in the contract. It is, therefore, factually incorrect to assert that the contract sum was USD 176 million. The official contract amount, duly executed by all parties, remains USD 178,704,739.50.”
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