AG uncovers $2million overpayment and GHS38m tax evasion in DRIP machine purchase
22nd October 2025
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has revealed that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration overpaid J.A. Plant Pool, the company contracted under the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), by $2 million.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, Dr. Ayine stated that although the total cost of the procured machines was slightly above $1 million, the government disbursed $178 million, instead of the approved $176 million.
“In the case of DRIP, J.A. Plant Pool was overpaid by $2 million. The contract sum was $176 million, but upon examining the payment invoices, we discovered that $178 million had been paid,” Dr. Ayine disclosed.
He added that an audit of the procurement records revealed over-invoicing of between 100% and 300% on the equipment supplied.
Dr. Ayine also indicated that 190 extra pieces of machinery were imported and cleared at the port under false claims of being part of the DRIP project, allowing them to evade taxes.
“We discovered that 190 additional pieces of equipment were added and cleared as if they were tax-exempt. This led to an estimated GH¢38.7 million in tax evasion,” he explained.
The Attorney General said his office has directed J.A. Plant Pool to refund the overpaid $2 million, while the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been instructed to recover the outstanding taxes.
The District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), launched under the Akufo-Addo administration, was designed to accelerate district-level road and infrastructure development by providing heavy-duty equipment—such as excavators, graders, and tipper trucks—to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) nationwide.