Disinfection saga at KIA: Ghana Airport Company fights back

The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) has indicated that it has not in any way sabotaged LCB's contract with the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Services, stressing that it did not sign any agreement with LCB.

The Company was reacting to a publication in the New Crusading Guide on Monday, May 4, 2020 edition.

In a Rejoinder signed by the Managing Director of GACL, Yaw Kwakwa he indicated that LCB Worldwide (LCB) by a letter dated 1st November 2019 notified GACL of an agreement between LCB and Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service for the disinfection of the exterior of vehicles, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods or postal parcels that enter and exit the ports of Tema and Takoradi.

The letter, he said also indicated that the mandate of LCB included the implementation of disinfection measures at all airports in Ghana and that per the letter, LCB was to invest an amount of US$19,000,000 while charging US$16 per round trip via ticketing of the end user.

“LCB in that letter indicated that it would need the collaboration of GACL in the following: Physical allocation of space to be able to conduct their services ii. Information sharing to enable LCB trace and charge passengers iii. Working with GACL to make air passengers aware of the disinfection health services and its implementation,” he stated.

According to Yaw Kwakwa, LCB indicated it would pay rental fees for spaces allocated to it and royalties and in its letter of 31st January, 2020 LCB still referenced the agreement between LCB and Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service as well the WHO declaration of the Novel Corona Virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern offered to immediately disinfect cargo and air passenger luggage free of charge.

“GACL in response to the letters from LCB (1st November 2019 and 31st January 2020) indicated that the Board had agreed in principle to the disinfection exercise at KIA with no cost implication to GACL. GACL further invited LCB to a discussion on the challenge of passing on the cost to passengers as aviation/ airport charges as guided by IATA/ICAO protocols. At no point in time did GACL sign any agreement with LCB or indicated that it could not carry out its own disinfection exercise as and when required,” he stated.

He however indicated that the recent disinfection exercise by Zoomlion was conducted at no cost to GACL.

He said: “Meanwhile, Management has been engaging LCB and researching the following areas to negotiate a possible contract.