Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has given the strongest indication that his Office could soon begin investigations into the controversial Frontier Health Service contract.
The contract was signed between GACL and Frontier Healthcare Services on September 1, 2020, for Frontier to undertake Covid-19 antigen tests at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
This was after the government of Ghana implemented a policy that required all passengers arriving at KIA to be tested for coronavirus at a fee of 150 dollars and 150 dollars for those departing from Ghana.
The price was subsequently reduced to USD$50 for nationals of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The two-year contract grants Frontier Healthcare Services the exclusive right to provide mandatory Covid-19 testing on passengers.
However, since the inception of the contract Civil Society Organisations like Imani Africa, the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) among others have kicked against it as lacking transparency and unnecessary.
ASEPA eventually petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor in August this year for a probe into the contract.
ASEPA raised concerns about the lack of credible and reliable information about the agreement that tasks Frontiers Health Services to offer Covid-19 testing at the Kotoka airport.
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In a letter dated August 11, 2021, to Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, ASEPA alleged that the Public Procurement Law has been breached in the award of the contract.
“The Minister of Health announced that a total of about $17million has been accumulated from the testing of passengers at the Kotoka International Airport since last year, when the borders were opened, and out of that amount, only a paltry $1million in terms of revenue was accrued to Ghana.
“This contractual in-balance in what is supposed to be a partnership arrangement, is cause for worry for a number of Civil Society leaders and well-meaning Ghanaians, who are raising a number of questions regarding the agreement, whether it was in the best interest of the State,” parts of the letter signed by the Executive Director, Mensah Thompson read.
Now in a reply to Mr Thompson, dated October 26, 2021, Kissi Agyebeng stated that “the Office will commence an investigation into the matter if I determine that the complaint is within our mandate.”
Imani Africa has called for a review of the contractual agreement between the Ghana Airports Company and Frontier.
The renowned think tank is of the view that the contract is an avenue created for a group of people to benefit at the expense of the nation.
The Minority in Parliament has also said the deal enriches Frontier Healthcare Services by $16.2million, from Covid-19 testing in four months, whereas Ghana earns $1.1million within this period.
The opposition group said at that time that that was evidence that the country is being ripped off.