General News of Wednesday, 24 February 2021

Source: starrfm.com.gh

Parliament must probe Frontiers Healthcare contract – Azeem

Anti-corruption campaigner Vitus Azeem Anti-corruption campaigner Vitus Azeem

Anti-graft campaigner, Vitus Azeem, has called on Parliament to constitute a committee and investigate the controversial Frontiers Healthcare Services Contract.

According to him, there are a lot of unanswered questions about the contract that needs to be addressed.

The controversy surrounding the award of the contract to Frontiers Healthcare Services, a company undertaking COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), has been raging in the media for some time now.

On Tuesday, the Minister-designate for the Ministry of Transport, Hon. Kweku Ofori Asiamah failed to provide details of the contract to Ghanaians during his vetting.

When he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, Mr. Asiamah, said the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), which operates the KIA, only rented its space to Frontiers Healthcare Services.

Three ministerial nominees who had so far appeared before the Appointments Committee had all failed to give details of the contract to Frontiers Healthcare Service to conduct COVID-19 testing at the KIA at a fee of US$150.00 per head.

Speaking on the Morning Starr on Wednesday, Mr. Azeem said “there’s a lot we need to hear. We still do not know who awarded the contract and what procedure they followed. Did they go according to procurement procedures?.

“We still do not know how many people benefitted from the contract and what losses the state incurred. I think parliament should constitute an investigation into this matter. It’s the right thing to do. Unless we investigate it, you can’t conclude that there’s a flaw in the $150 payment arrangement with Kotoka International Airport.”