An official at the Ministry of Transport has rejected claims from certain quarters that the Ghana Airports Company Ltd (GACL) spent over GHC100,000 on Christmas decorations.
Responding via a letter to a Right to Information (RTI) request by the Fourth Estate Ghana, Theresa Kokui Fiador, the RTI officer for the ministry, noted that there were no procurement or bidding processes for the Christmas decorations in 2021.
According to the letter, “GACL rented Christmas decorations for the 2021 Christmas season from two companies to decorate the airport terminals.” “With specific regards to 2021, per the arrangements, the rented Christmas decorations will have to be returned to the owners,” the letter stressed.
However, the assertions by the ministry contradict earlier comments by the Board Chairman of GACL and host of Good Evening Ghana on Metropolitan TV, Paul Adom-Otchere.
The four Christmas trees that were erected at the KIA cost a total of GHC34,000, according to Mr. Adom-Otchere, while other decorations cost GHC84,000, of which GHC50,000 was raised through sponsorship. He continued that the decorations, erected throughout the terminal area for many years, had been erected to create a joyful mood for travelers and their families arriving in the nation. He claimed that two businesses, Jandel Limited and Favors and Arts, entered and won bids to furnish the decorations.
On the contrary, the letter from the Ministry did not make any mention of the fixing of Christmas trees at the earlier stated amount of GHC34,000 but only disclosed the decorations that were rented.
Furthermore, the letter from the Ministry was hushed on the amount paid for the rented Christmas decorations for the 2021 season.
