The Herald, has uncovered further details in the GHC600,000 cash-for-contract scandal, involving the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, 38 years, who collected the amount from a businessman in exchange for a government contract that was never delivered.
The contract in question, was part of a public tender for the construction of four standard-sized astro-turf football pitches in various districts of the Central Region.
It had seen the lawmaker cum politician, making nonsense of the country’s procurement laws by collecting money from a businessman to offer the contract, but failed to deliver.
The four astro-turfs, were advertised in the Ghanaian Times newspaper on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, under the title: National Competitive Tender (NCT) – Procurement of Works: Central Regional Co-ordinating Council Invitation to Tender.
The projects, sought to construct pitches in Awutu Senya West District, Mfantsiman Municipal Assembly, Assin South District, and Hemang Lower Denkyira District.
However, before the official award of the contracts, Ntim Fordjour—then Deputy Minister of Education—struck a private deal, offering some of the contracts to businessman, Sylvester Gyen, in exchange for GH¢600,000.
Despite receiving the payment, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, failed to honour his end of the agreement, prompting Mr Gyen, to demand a refund repeatedly. As of yesterday, he refunded GH¢450, 000, leaving GH¢150, 000.
Interestingly, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has through his lawyers, Jeffry Koranteng, JKORANTENG@LAW, denied The Herald’s Monday publication on the matter, threatening legal action against the newspaper.
After months of unsuccessful attempts, including media publications, legal actions, and a complaint with Akosua Frema Opare, then the Chief of Staff under the Akufo-Addo administration, he eventually lodged a formal complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service through a petition dated February 24, 2025, obviously taking advantage of the change of government.
The Herald’s investigations, confirm multiple interactions between the MP and the aggrieved businessman.
At one point, one Alberta Frimpong, refunded part of the money—GHC200,000—via a deposit made into Mr Gyen’s bank account on Friday, August 9, 2024. The Herald, has sighted a pay-in slip confirming the transaction.
Further correspondence reviewed by The Herald, shows increasing frustration on the part of Mr Gyen, who had threatened to take legal action, involve the media, and notify the then-Chief of Staff if the balance was not paid. Despite these warnings, the MP allegedly remained unresponsive or evasive.
Text messages exchanged between the two, indicate the businessman repeatedly appealed for the return of his funds, stressing the financial strain the delay had caused him and his family, including an ageing mother requiring urgent surgery.
In one message, Mr Gyen warned, “Rev., you can’t continue to spoil the cash after all this while… You are not doing me a favour by refunding money paid to you for a job that was never done.”
In another exchange, the MP, was accused of attempting to deflect responsibility, claiming that a lecturer acquaintance of the businessman, was liable for the remaining GH¢400,000. However, Mr Gyen, insists that the MP, personally received the entire sum at his residence and should be held accountable for the outstanding amount.
In another text message, Mr Agyen, warned the MP, “I am very much disappointed and if the untoward happens to my old lady due to my inability to raise funds for her immediate surgery, your name shall surely appear in the tribute”.
Official documents reviewed by The Herald, revealed that the tender process, as advertised by the Central Regional Co-ordinating Council, was governed by the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663) as amended. Prospective bidders were required to meet strict eligibility criteria and submit tenders in sealed envelopes by 30 April 2024. Each tender, was to be backed by a 2percent security of the tender value and valid for 120 days.
The businessman’s petition to the police and accompanying communications raise serious questions about potential abuse of public office and violations of Ghana’s procurement laws. A police report seen by The Herald indicates that the case is being investigated as a possible incident of defrauding by false pretence involving the MP and two associates: Eric Yeboah and Edmond Oppong Peprah.
As the scandal unfolds, pressure continues to mount on Rev. John Ntim Fordjour to refund the remaining GHC400,000. Mr Gyen has stated plainly that if the balance is not paid, he will pursue the matter in court and through the media to ensure justice is served.
On Monday, the former Deputy Minister for Education, demanded a retraction and unqualified apology from The Herald newspaper following a front-page publication that linked him to an alleged contract fraud involving GHS 600,000.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Editor of The Herald, Mr Larry-Alans Dogbey, and signed by his solicitors, Rev. Fordjour described the newspaper’s 12–13 May 2025 edition headline, “Ntim Fordjour dragged before Police CID over GHS 600,000.00 Contract Fraud”, as false, defamatory, and lacking any factual basis.
The solicitors, acting on Rev. Fordjour’s instructions, accused the newspaper of failing to uphold basic journalistic ethics by neglecting to verify the claims or seek his side of the story prior to publication.
“Our Client instructs us that you neglected, failed and/or refused to reach out to him to confirm the veracity of the story before going to press,” the letter stated. “You have, by your actions, caused right-thinking members of society to think of him as a fraudulent person when no such situation exists.”
The letter further clarified that Rev. Fordjour has had no dealings—public or private—with the businessman mentioned in the article, and has not received any money, directly or indirectly, from the said individual or any other party in relation to the alleged contract.
Rev. Fordjour, who is also a Reverend Minister, expressed outrage at the publication, describing it as a smear campaign intended to tarnish his reputation and distract him from matters of national importance.
His legal team is demanding that The Herald publish a retraction with the same prominence as the original article and issue an unqualified apology within 72 hours of receipt of the letter.
“Should you fail to heed this demand, we have our Client’s firm instructions to institute legal proceedings against you to vindicate his rights,” the letter concluded.