The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has disclosed that it lacks information regarding the revenue generated by Frontiers Healthcare Service through the COVID-19 testing conducted at the airports.
This information was revealed by JoyNews’ Raymond Acquah, who engaged the authority in a letter over the matter.
The contract between GACL and Frontiers Health Services has been under intense scrutiny, including allegations of corruption from civil society organizations and opposition Members of Parliament (MPs).
During a discussion on the Super Morning Show, Mr. Acquah mentioned that the JoyNews team wrote to the GACL to request information on the total revenue generated from the COVID-19 testing operation conducted by the Ghana Airport Company Limited.
However, the GACL informed them that they could not disclose that information, citing Section 10 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019, Act 989, as the legal basis for non-disclosure.
“Because of Section 10 of the RTI Act, that’s the exemption regime, of course they explained that the exemption regime has so many provisions. After saying section 10 disallows them from giving us the contract they moved on. They said they were not privy to the procedure and that they do not know how much has actually been generated in the entire exercise,” he added.
In addition to revenue details, the JoyNews team also sought a copy of the agreement between the government and the healthcare service provider. Unfortunately, the authority declined to provide that information as well.
Furthermore, the JoyNews team sought information regarding the selection process that led to Frontiers Health Services being awarded the contract for COVID-19 testing at the airport.
However, the GACL stated that they did not possess the necessary information about the specific steps and processes involved in selecting and awarding the contract to Frontiers Health Services.
“We wrote to ask for a copy of the RTI request to the Ghana Airport Company, then secondly processes and procedures they used in contracting frontiers, the reasons why they settled on frontiers. How much money they much has actually been generated in the entire exercise. How much money is going to the state and frontiers,”he added.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleged that Ghana’s procurement laws were grossly disregarded in the Frontiers COVID-19 Airport Testing deal.
He highlighted a significant revelation related to the offer letter from the Ghana Airport Company Limited to Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited, signed by the former Managing Director, Mr. Yaw Kwakwa, and dated August 31, 2020.
According to him, the letter exposes how “Frontiers was handpicked in an opaque sweetheart deal after a hush-hush discussion; Ghana’s procurement laws were blatantly and violently flouted. In fact, Ghana’s procurement laws were suspended.
“This was not a competitive exercise as credible institutions such as Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, Korle Bu Central Laboratory and others who were at the forefront of the COVID containment were sidelined as government opted for the overnight incorporated dubious Frontiers.”
This revelation has raised concerns about the transparency and legality of the contract.