Vice-President, in charge of Research at IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Bright Simons has alleged the e-gate project at the Kotoka International Airport is fraught with corruption.
According to him, the project was single-sourced and had been repackaged on 3 separate occasions to favor “crony contractors” in bed with the government.
A post of his official X handle read, “The E-Gate project at Ghana’s international airport, which has reportedly been single-sourced to Margins, Ghana’s private monopoly ID provider, is one of the most spectacular examples of how World Bank funds are wasted in Ghana. The same project has been repackaged thrice to favor crony contractors.”
The e-gates project was launched on Tuesday, December 3, and is regarded as a landmark in Ghana’s efforts to modernize border management with a system designed, developed, and owned by Ghanaians.
The system integrates artificial intelligence, biometrics, and real-time data processing, streamlining airport procedures.
Holders of the Ghana card can now use e-gates for seamless entry without manual immigration checks. The system also accommodates members of the diaspora and international visitors through pre-registration of their biometric and travel information.
According to Bright Simons, “the whole thing is just a $240 million gig being cooked.”
