Minister-Designate Agbodza reveals lack of formal contract for controversial E-Gate system at KIA
The Minister-Designate for Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza, has revealed that the controversial E-Gate system at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) lacks a formal contract.
During his vetting in Parliament on Monday, January 20, Agbodza raised questions about the procurement process and the financial details of the project, which was initially reported to cost $240 million.
The E-Gate system was introduced to modernize operations at Ghana’s primary international airport. However, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) had previously disputed claims of the $240 million cost, describing them as inaccurate in a statement released on December 19, 2024.
Agbodza, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Adaklu, explained that the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) had been working on a similar project as part of its modernization initiatives. He clarified that the E-Gate was originally intended as an additional feature at no extra cost to the government.
“If the government had listened to what I was saying, it wouldn’t have led to the embarrassment we saw at the airport when the former Vice President was trying to commission it,” Agbodza commented.
He further disclosed, “There is no contract for the E-Gate system. There is no agreement for the $1.7 million they mentioned. When I raised concerns, the GCAA was already implementing a similar project, and the E-Gate was supposed to be free. Later, a memo was quickly prepared for it.”
This revelation raises questions about the transparency of the procurement process and casts doubt on the decision-making behind the project.
