Right to Information Commission has ordered the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) to release its contract with Frontiers Health Services to the media within 7 days.
Per a report carried by myjoyonline, GACL is to release the document within seven days upon receipt of a letter from the Commission communicating the decision.
This comes after Joy News team had reviewed it application after GACL had refused to release the said contract as well as provided other information on how much it had made from the Covid-19 testing at the airport.
The Managing Director of GACL, Pamela Djamson-Tettey on September 19, 2022 in letter to Joy News turned down the request.
According to her, the agreement contains information exempt under Section 10 of the RTI law which states that “Information is exempt from disclosure prior to official publication where a) the information contains trade secrets or financial, commercial, scientific or technical information that belongs to the State or public institution and the information has monetary or a potential monetary value;
(b) the disclosure of the information can reasonably be expected to affect the integrity or stability of the financial system or, damage the financial interests of the State or public institution or the ability of the State to manage the national economy;
(c) the disclosure of the information can reasonably be expected to cause a disruption of business or trade in the country;
(d) the disclosure of the information can unduly benefit or be injurious to a person because it provides prior information about future economic or financial measures to be introduced by the Government or public institution;
(e) the information contains criterion, procedure, position or instruction that relates to negotiations being carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the State or public institution, the disclosure of which shall be injurious to national security and economic development; or
(f) the information contains questions or methodology to be used in an examination, recruitment or selection process and the release is likely to jeopardise the integrity of that examination, recruitment or selection process”
She also said the information relating to the processes leading to the award of the contract and how much had been derived from the testing is not in the possession of the GACL.
However, in a reviewed application filed by Joy News the Commission has in a February 3, 2023 letter directed the GACL to release the contract.
The Commission pointed out that the information does not fall within the category of exempt information envisaged under sections 10(a) and (b).
“The contract referred to has already been executed and has neither monetary nor potential monetary value to the State. The Commission further finds that the information requested will no way damage the financial interests of the State.”, the letter written by Executive Secretary Yaw Sarpong stated.
Per the request of Joy News, the company is also to provide “A summary of the procurement information on the GAL and Frontiers Healthcare Services Ltd transaction exclusive of tax information and evaluative processes.
“The total amount of money generated from the COVID-19 testing at the airport from the inception of this agreement with frontiers to date.
“The total amount of money that has been made by frontiers health services from the covid-19 testing at the airport from the inception of the contract with frontiers to date.
“The total amount of money that has been made by the government from the Covid-19 testing at the airport from the inception of the contract with frontiers till date.”
By Vincent Kubi