The Minority in Parliament has notified the Ghana Police Service of its intention to organize a series of protests against what they have described as illegal, unconscionable and extortionist COVID-19 Antigen test at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

In a letter to the Police on March 24, the Minority said the protest will begin from Wednesday, March 30 within the hours of 2:00pm to 6:00pm each day.

The letter was signed by North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Adaklu MP Kwame Agbodza and Juaboso MP, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

“Pursuant to the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491), we the undersigned Members of Parliament on behalf of our Caucus and the Ghanaians we represent, duly notify your office of our irrevocable intentions to lead a series of picketing actions at Kotoka International Airport from Wednesday the 30th of March, 2022,” portions of the letter read.

According to the Minority, they are firmly determined to sustain the mass picketing actions until the Akufo-Addo government curtails the COVID-19 Antigen testing conducted at KIA by Frontiers Healthcare Services Limited.

The Minority earlier demanded the immediate scrapping of the Covid-19 testing at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

In an interview with JoyNews on Wednesday, Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated that the testing at KIA has become exploitative, hence, the call for it to be scrapped.

“Within the sub-region, there is no country that charges $150 per an antigen test, not a PCR test. If you go to countries like Togo, Burkina Faso, Togo is charging $50, Burkina Faso is charging $50 so why are we charging $150?” he asked.

“Before you arrive in Ghana, you will have to get a negative PCR test, so if somebody has a negative PCR Test why should he take an antigen test to verify a PCR test? So you ask yourself was this carefully cooked for somebody just to make money off it,” he added.

The Juaboso MP alleged that the charges and fees for the testing are designed to shortchange travelers entering the country, insisting the positive cases recorded at the airport have declined significantly due to the rigorous testing passengers go through before boarding a flight.

He stated that the nation should rather focus on getting people vaccinated and preventing unvaccinated people from entering the country than continuing with the Covid-19 testing.