-From Kotoka’s COVID-19 Test
After months of fencing, the Akufo Addo administration has admitted the raw deal it served Ghanaians by dubiously giving the COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Asiamah out of US $17.3 million realised from the testing, Ghana only got US$1.1 million.
The amount was realised between September and December 2020 with private company Frontiers Health Services taking the lion’s share, even though it is virtually using the government’s resources to undertake the testing.
The transport minister made this known on Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Parliament, after the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu requested details of the deal that has been flagged as dubious by civil society organisations.
“…between September and December 2020, the total amount realised from the COVID-19 testing at the KIA was $17,590,500. So as per the concession agreement, Frontiers Healthcare Services retained $16,202,200 for its services between the stated periods. The Ghana Airport Company Limited on the other hand received $1,167,300 for the same period as royalties accruing from COVID-19 testing. During the period under consideration, a total number of 117,187 came through KIA, out of this number, 115,730 paid for the testing, while 1,157 passengers consisting of children between the ages of 5-12 were exempted from paying for the testing,” the Minister stated.
Under shady circumstances, the Government last year gave the KIA testing contract to Frontiers which had no track record and had only been incorporated a couple of months earlier to take up the contract.