General News of Saturday, 17 October 2020

Source: www.whatsupnewsghana.com

Airport coronavirus test owners are ghosts

TPFCL is an offshore company conducting COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport TPFCL is an offshore company conducting COVID-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport

The Registrar of Companies of the Island Country of Dominica says it does not know the shareholders and directors of The Peters Family Company Ltd (TPFCL), owners, of Frontiers Healthcare Services Ltd, for whom the multi-million dollars covid testing contract at KIA has been cooked.

TPFCL is an offshore company that ultimately owns the two local companies used to grab the juicy COVID-19 test at Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport.

"I can inform you that the list of directors and shareholders of the Company have not been filed by the company's agent. Thus there is no information on the beneficial ownership of the company. This is not mandatory to be filed in our jurisdiction,” a legal Attorney retained to conduct an official search revealed.

According to a top law firm in Dominica, “Section 14 of the International Business Companies (IBC) Act, No 10 of 1996 as amended mandates the Companies Registrar to issue a Certificate of Incorporation upon the filing of the Company's Memorandum and Articles prescribing regulations for the company.”

The law firm further explained that “Section 12 of the Act sets out what must be included in the Memorandum. This list, however, does not include a list of the company's directors or shareholders. Where these are filed, this is at the instance of the company or it's Registered Agent, but not pursuant to any requirement under law. Section 12 of the Act is attached for your information”.

The company which was awarded the $150 COVID-19 test at the Kotoka International Airport is a Ghanaian company called Frontier Healthcare Services Ltd. Frontier is 100% also owned by another Ghanaian company called Healthcare Solution Ltd which is also owned by The Peters Family Company Ltd, an offshore company located in the island country of Dominica.

Independent investigations have revealed that Nigerian Billionaire, Benedict Peters, a close friend of top politicians at Ghana’s Jubilee House is one of the shareholders of The Peters Family Company Ltd.

Investigations are currently narrowing down on pointers that a top Ghanaian politician could also be a shareholder in what is shaping up as one of the most clandestine government deals in recent history.

A new layer of mystery has emerged in the convoluted set-up in which the company contracted by the Akufo-Addo government to run the Covid-19 testing business at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) does not have beneficiary ownership, a breach of fundamental requirements by the Registrar General, particularly for a company enjoying state contract.

This revelation from the Dominica registrar of companies that the ultimate beneficial owner of Ghana’s COVID 19 test at KIA is a Ghost has renewed calls for more transparency in government contracting.

Documents obtained from the Dominica’s Registrar of companies reveal that The Peters Family Company Ltd, which is the ultimate beneficiary of Ghana’s airport COVID 19 test does not just have “ghost shareholders and directors” but that it was registered via telephone through an agent called Caribbean Commercial Law and IP Practitioners (CCLIP).

Per incorporation documents obtained by Whatsup News, The Peters Family Company Ltd was incorporated through one Marcella Charles on the 14th of November, 2018 as a representative of the Caribbean Commercial and IP Law Practitioners.

Incidentally, the year of incorporation of The Peters Family Company Ltd (2018) coincides with the year, Benedict Peters, the Nigerian Billionaire who has been in running battles with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) moved to Ghana, in what has been described in the Nigerian press as a self-imposed exile.

Upon its incorporation, the Peters Family Company issued 600003 ordinary shares at US$1 per share.

The company’s office address is duly stated as P.O Box 0069, 2ndFloor, Eversleigh House, Cnr. Hanover Street and Hodges Lane, Roseau, Dominica.

The convoluted setup appears to be that the shadowy beneficial owners hired the Caribbean Commercial and IP Law Practitioners to register the company on its behalf affording them the ease to continue to remain incognito.

Per Ghana’s laws, Registrar General’s Department is entitled to know the beneficial owners of companies who have shares in other companies.

According to reports, by the end of the year, the setup at the KIA will rake in a whopping US$30million for the hidden cabal members.

Find the incorporation documents below: