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The Minister-Designate for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has disclosed that the controversial E-Gate system at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) lacks a formal contract, sparking concerns about the project’s procurement and cost transparency.
Speaking during his vetting in Parliament on Monday, January 20, Agbodza revealed that the system, touted as a modernisation effort at KIA, was originally intended to be implemented at no cost to the government. However, the project has since been shrouded in financial controversy, with claims that it would cost $240 million.
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) had previously denied this figure, describing it as inaccurate in a December 2024 statement.
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Agbodza clarified that the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) had been developing a similar system as part of its ongoing modernisation plans and that the E-Gate was meant to be a complimentary feature.
“If the government had listened to what I was saying, it wouldn’t have resulted in some of the embarrassment we saw at the airport when the former vice president was trying to commission it. There is not even any contract for the E-Gate. There is no contract for the $1.7 million they were talking about,” he stated.
The minister-designate added that subsequent memos and attempts to formalise the project came only after public scrutiny, further highlighting flaws in the procurement process.
This revelation raises critical questions about governance, financial accountability, and oversight in implementing key national projects.
