Over $17million was realized between September and December 2020 from COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport, the Minister for Transport Mr Kwaku Asiamah has stated.
Mr Asiamah said out of this amount, $16.2 million was retained by Frontiers Health Services with $1.1 million going to the Ghana Airport Company.
He made this known on Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Parliament, after the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu inquired about the proceeds from the COVID-19 testing exercise at the Kotoka International Airport.
He further explained that per the contract agreement between the Ghana Airport Company and Frontiers Health Services, the $150 testing fee was disbursed on a ratio of 10 to 140 dollars.
Mr Asiamah said: “Mr Speaker, the concession agreement between the Ghana Airport Company Limited and the Frontiers Healthcare Services for the conduct of COVID-19 testing at KIA started on the 4th of September 2020. The measure was taken to limit the importation of the disease into the country through KIA, which is the foremost entry point by air passengers. The strategy was to test and isolate the infected persons for treatment at various treatment centres. Per the concession agreement, Ghana Airport Company was supposed to receive $10 per test conducted, and Frontiers Healthcare was to keep the rest as their service charge and the total conduct per test was $150.”
“Mr. Speaker 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 period. 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.”
Source: Graphiconline
