Government enriching cronies through coronavirus test at KIA – Minority

The Minority in parliament has accused the Akufo-Addo administration of using funds raised in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic to enrich its cronies.

The NDC MPs are for instance questioning the awarding of the contract for insurance for Covid-19 frontline health workers to Enterprise Life, a company owned by finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta alleging conflict of interest.

They also question the awarding of Covid-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport to one Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited who further sublets to the Noguchi Memorial Institute instead of going direct to Noguchi.

Addressing the media Thursday, Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu said “our man issue to which we are asking for the media even to take particular interest in is the testing of passengers on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport. You recall that the minority raised concerns regarding the award of contract to Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited.

“The company was registered on 21st July 2020 just few days to the commencement of its operations. The company as we have investigated is owned by Healthcare Solutions Services Limited which is owned by the Peters Family Company Limited, also incorporated in 2020. The Peters Family Company Limited itself is registered as an offshore in Dominican. Therefore we don’t want to believe that this may be another case of family and friends.”

Mr Iddrisu further questioned “how was this contract for charging of $150 per passenger awarded? What procurement process was used. The company Healthcare Solutions Services Limited, the rule is that if you don’t have a laboratory you don’t qualify for purpose of undertaking these services. How come they were chosen for the purpose of this and we are looking for further and better particulars of the entity?”

“We are not only concerned about the poorly crafted scheme that they are using to cash-in on poor Ghanaian travelers who are desirous of returning home. But the inability of Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited to deliver the very services for which poor Ghanaian passengers pay $150 for,” he added.