Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Minister nominee for Roads and Highways says the controversial E-Gate system at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) lacks a formal contract, raising significant concerns about the procurement process and financial claims surrounding the project.

During his vetting before Parliament on Monday, January 20, Mr Agbodza disclosed that the E-Gate system, which was introduced as part of efforts to modernise operations at Ghana’s premier international airport, had initially been intended to come at no cost to the government.

Despite claims that the system would cost the government $240 million, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on December 19, 2024, refuted this figure and described it as inaccurate.

Mr Agbodza, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu, provided further details during his appearance before the Appointments Committee.

He explained that the project was part of a broader modernisation initiative by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and had been intended as a complimentary feature to existing systems, with no additional financial burden on the government.

He stated, “The GCAA had already been working on a similar system as part of its ongoing modernisation efforts. The E-Gate was supposed to be developed as an additional feature at no extra cost. If the government had heeded my advice, the embarrassment we saw at the airport when the former Vice President attempted to commission it could have been avoided."

Agbodza went on to confirm that there was no formal contract for the E-Gate system, nor was there any agreement related to the $1.7 million previously discussed.

“When I began raising concerns, the project was already in motion, and the E-Gate was meant to be implemented at no cost. After I started speaking out, they hurriedly prepared a memo for it,” he added.