Ministerial vetting: E-Gates should have been free, says Agbodza

Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Roads and Highways Minister-designate, has raised concerns about the recent E-Gate system installed at Kotoka International Airport, stating that it should have been provided at no cost to the government.

During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Agbodza revealed that the system was initially part of an integrated project by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), which would have provided the E-Gates for free. He questioned the government’s decision to pay for a system that was already available without charge.

“It was part of an integrated project being implemented by the GCAA, which would have provided the E-Gate system for free. Why are we paying even a dollar for something we should not have paid for at all?” Agbodza stated.

The E-Gate system was introduced to modernize airport operations and streamline immigration clearance using biometric technology. However, Agbodza pointed out that no value-for-money assessment was conducted before its implementation.

The project’s final proposal valued the system at $147.7 million, which includes a 10-year management and maintenance contract. Agbodza also disclosed that the original funding plan involved a private-sector partnership that would have incurred no cost to the government.

The responsibility for the project later shifted to the Ghana Immigration Service, a move Agbodza criticized as improper and deviating from international standards.

Agbodza has called for greater transparency in government spending and suggested discussions with the Finance Minister to review the project and determine the way forward.

By: Linda Akite