Ghana Earned only $1m as $16m Goes to Frontiers From Kotoka COVID Tests

Frontiers Healthcare Services raked in about $16 million between September and December last year from their work at the Kotoka International Aiport (KIA) while the Government of Ghana made only about $1 million.

This revelation was made by the Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah, in Parliament during the week. According to the minister, for every $150 that was taken for each COVID test at the KIA, the government got $10 while Frontiers took $140.

The minister had been giving an update on how much has been transacted in the private-public partnership effort against the spread of the coronavirus in Ghana.

Pleas by Ghanaians and foreigners alike to have the cost of the test reduced have been unsuccessful. On its part, the Ghanaian government has referred to Frontiers as the ones with the final say on costing for the COVID tests at the KIA.

The revelations by the Transport minister left many Ghanaians wondering about the nature of the agreement between the firm and the government.

In February, it emerged that Frontiers signed its agreement with the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) on the day the healthcare solutions firm started operations. This means that the GACL, and by extension the Ghanaian government, was the first entity to contract Frontiers.

Asiamah had disclosed this at his vetting and said the two entities signed the agreement on September 1, 2020, the day the country’s airport was opened to international flights.

According to him, the only briefing he has received about the operations of Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited had to do with the GACL providing office space for Frontiers Healthcare Solution Services Limited.

At least, three ministers who held positions in the last government of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for which they have been re-appointed for same or changed ministerial appointments, have declined knowledge of details of the contract deal during their vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

Apart from Asaiamah, the others are Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Minister for Health.

Legislators belonging to the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) have said it is important for the government to expedite investigative actions and punish anybody found culpable for the contract with Frontiers.

The NDC lawmakers have also, meanwhile, called for the cancellation of the contract in light of Asiamah’s new disclosure.