The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, is dragging the Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, to Parliament to account for proceeds from the COVID-19 testing exercise at the Kotoka International Airport.
In an urgent question scheduled to be answered next week, the Tamale South Member of Parliament is seeking information regarding the funds accrued from the contract between the Ghana Airport Company and Frontiers Healthcare Services as of the end of December 2020.
Haruna Iddrisu’s question to the Minister requests for a breakdown of the amount accrued from the testing and how much of it was allocated to the respective parties in the deal.
Ghana’s procurement law allows for emergency procurement and donations to be undertaken in the event of a natural disaster or epidemic, among other things, subject to the Public Procurement Board’s approval, in accordance with Act 663, Section 40.
The government engaged Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited to conduct the rapid COVID-19 tests following the reopening of the airport to international passenger flights in September 2020.
Non-ECOWAS passengers coming to Ghana by air are required to pay $150 for a 30-minute PCR COVID-19 test administered by Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited.
ECOWAS citizens are allowed to pay $50 for the test at the KIA.
But the Minority wing in Parliament continues to raise red flags and concerns of procurement breaches about the deal, demanding documents to ascertain the diligence done.
The company was at a point said to be operating whilst unlicensed.