[ 2021-02-24 ]

Kwaku Asiamah clarifies issues surrounding contract for COVID-19 testing at KIA
Minister-designate for Transport and Aviation,
Kwaku Asiamah has clarified issues pertaining to
the agreement between the Government of Ghana and
Frontiers Health Care Limited for COVID-19 testing
at the Kotoka International Airport.

The Minority had raised concerns about the
agreement, saying it breaches the procurement laws
of the country and lacks transparency.

Several ministerial nominees who appeared before
Parliament’s Appointment Committee claimed they
were not privy to the agreement.



Kwaku Asiamah during his vetting by Parliament’s
Appointment Committee however disagreed with the
concerns raised by the Minority.

He said Frontier Healthcare Service Limited had
demonstrated that they had the capacity to
undertake COVID-19 tests at the airport and had
their equipment duly certified by the Food and
Drugs Authority.

“Per the information I have, Frontier Healthcare
is a registered company in Ghana. The brief I have
from Ghana Airports Company Limited was that
Frontier Healthcare approached them and proved
that they have the capacity to under the [COVID-10
tests at the airport]. Their equipment was
certified by the FDA after it was forwarded to
them by the Ghana Airport company.”

Non-ECOWAS passengers coming to Ghana by air are
required to pay $150 for a 30-minute PCR COVID-19
test administered by Frontiers Health Care
Limited.

ECOWAS citizens currently are allowed to pay $50
for the test at the Kotoka International Airport.

The Minister-designate expressed his willingness
to engage with Frontier Healthcare Services to
reduce the cost of the tests, which has been
described by some stakeholders as outrageous.



“Anything that will make Ghanaians satisfied, I
will do it. If people are complaining that the
cost [of the test] is too much I will sit with
[Frontier Healthcare Services] if I am given the
nod, interrogate the figures and if it’ll be
possible for them to reduce the price, why not. If
we can negotiate with them, we’ll do that.”

The test being used has been backed by the Food
and Drugs Authority (FDA) which it says met the
requirements of not less than 99.0 percent
concordance.

Source - Citinewsroom

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