General News of Thursday, 18 February 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Why are you fleeing from questions on KIA coronavirus testing contract? – Ablakwa asks ministerial nominees

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu has observed that some of the ministerial nominees facing the Appointments Committee of Parliament are evading questions on the contract between the government and Frontiers Health Services for the administration of Covid-19 testing at the Kotoko International Airport.

So far, four nominees whose ministries, it is expected have a connection with the provision of health care in the country have denied knowledge of the contract.

They include the ministerial-nominees for Gender, Health, Attorney-General and Foreign Affairs.

Their responses on the matter has shocked Okudzeto Ablakwa who in a Citi TV interview expressed bewilderment over the issue.

Okudzeto could not fathom how the appointees seem to be shying away from the topic.

He however stated that the Minority MPs will continue to ask the question until a satisfactory answer is given.

“Why has this become the world’s biggest mystery? Why has it become like a plague that no one wants to go near? Everyone is fleeing. Let us see what the procurement processes are. Where is the contract? Let’s see it and the terms of it.”

“We will keep repeating and putting this question to the nominees. We have asked in Parliament to have the contract because by law we carry oversight, but everyone is running away. We must know what is going on,” he noted.

He also quizzed why the government did not hand the contract to a local company which could have done the work at a cheaper cost.

“The solutions of Frontiers not having a track record was available on the shelves and could be sold. This was a golden opportunity to support Noguchi to build capacity”, he pointed out.