Kwaku Ofori Asiamah
The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) has received $1,157,300 in royalties from Frontiers Healthcare Services (FHS), the private company conducting the COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The amount was accrued from the operation of the CoVID-19 testing system.
The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Asiamah, disclosed this when he addressed Parliament yesterday.
Responding to a question from the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi, on behalf of the Minority Leader, Haruna Idrissu, the minister said the agreement between the GACL and FHS was that GACL makes $10 out of the $150 charged for every test, while the rest ($140) goes to the Frontiers Healthcare Services.
“Mr. Speaker, I want to inform this august House that from September to December 2020, the total amount realised from the COVID-19 testing at the KIA was $17,359,500.
“The Ghana Airport Company Limited received $1,157,300 for the same period as royalties accruing from the COVID-19 testing,” he stated.
The amount reported by the minister was raised before ECOWAS’ directive to members to reduce the payment from $150 to $50.
Out of the total amount raised through COVID-19 testing, FHS will receive about $16m.
Mr. Asiamah explained that the private healthcare company will receive majority of the income because they bore the highest cost in running the COVID-19 testing centre at the KIA.
He explained that the FHS in addition to paying rent for the space at KIA, was also paying royalties to the government.
“Mr. Speaker, it is worthy of mention that the only parties of the concession were the Frontiers Healthcare Services and the Ghana Airport Company Limited,” he said.
By Ernest Kofi Adu