Ghana’s E-Government Project Stalled: $6 Million Yet to be Recovered from Smart Infraco
In a significant revelation from a recent Public Account Committee (PAC) session, the Ghanaian government, through its Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, has confirmed that it is still awaiting the recovery of a substantial US$6 million from Smart Infraco Limited. This outstanding debt pertains to a critical E-Government Infrastructure Project, highlighting ongoing challenges in public sector contract management and funding operationalization within Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
The Unpaid Debt and Contractual Obligations
The details surrounding this financial quagmire emerged during a comprehensive update presented to the PAC on Wednesday, 20 August 2025, by officials from the Ministry. The E-Government Infrastructure contract, initially signed in 2020, involved Libera Ghana Limited, which subsequently transferred its rights and responsibilities to Smart Infraco. A core stipulation of this agreement mandated the contractor, Smart Infraco, to provide annual advances essential for the operationalization of the vital E-Government infrastructure. The agreed payment schedule was clear: an initial US$2 million due in 2020, followed by annual payments of US$1 million from 2021 through 2024. Cumulatively, these unremitted payments now total US$6 million. Despite these explicit terms, the Ministry has confirmed that none of these scheduled funds have been recovered to date, raising serious concerns about project sustainability and financial oversight. Auditors have since made recommendations regarding this outstanding sum, underscoring the urgency of the situation for Ghanaian public finances and infrastructure development.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation’s disclosure underscores a persistent issue regarding contractor accountability and the management of public funds allocated for crucial digital infrastructure projects. The failure to recover the US$6 million from Smart Infraco for the E-Government Infrastructure Project poses a significant hurdle to its full operationalization and points to the imperative for stringent oversight mechanisms in future contracts to safeguard national assets and ensure the successful delivery of essential digital services across Ghana.
Keywords
Related Keywords: Government debt recovery, Smart Infraco outstanding debt, infrastructure project debt, 6 million unpaid, government financial loss, Smart Infraco payment dispute, infrastructure contract recovery, unrecovered public funds, government infrastructure debt, infrastructure project finances
