The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has categorically dismissed claims circulating on social media that the recently installed electronic gates (e-gates) at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) cost the nation $240 million.
In a press release issued on Thursday, December 19, 2024, the GIS clarified that the actual cost of the e-gates is $1.7 million.
Clarification on costs
“The e-Gate system alone (comprising 15 units of e-gates with accessories), which forms part of the border management system being installed at KIA, costs $1.7 million (i.e., $1,760,479.80),” the GIS stated.
The statement further explained that the $240 million figure relates to the entire lifecycle cost of the Immigration 360 system, a new integrated border management system being implemented at 48 entry points across the country.
The GIS elaborated that the $240 million includes periodic upgrades, maintenance, licensing, and taxes over a 10-year period to ensure the system’s efficiency. “After accounting for VAT and other taxes, the total comes to $274 million, which includes maintenance and hands-on support services over a ten-year period to guarantee the system is operational around-the-clock,” the release added.
Details of the Immigration 360 system
The Immigration 360 system aims to automate passenger processing and data management at all approved entry and exit points to Ghana. It is designed to address challenges with sovereignty, interoperability, and inadequacies in existing systems.
The GIS also highlighted the system’s capability to integrate with local databases such as the National Identification System (NIS) and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), as well as international systems like INTERPOL’s Global Stop/Watch List and ICAO’s Public Key Directory.
“This integrated approach will enhance travel, trade, and security,” the statement noted.
Pre-financed implementation
The GIS revealed that the implementation cost of $94.6 million for phase one of the Immigration 360 system is being pre-financed by Margins ID Systems Application Ltd, a local Ghanaian company. Repayments will be sourced from revenue generated by the system’s operations.
Response to minority allegations
The GIS’s response comes amid allegations from the Minority in Parliament, who claimed the government entered into a $147 million deal for the e-gates at KIA.
The Minority Chief Whip, Governs Agbodza, described the agreement as a “blatant case of create, loot, and share,” questioning why an e-gate system would cost nearly as much as the airport’s $250 million construction.
The Minority has demanded a halt to the project and a review of its financial implications, raising broader concerns about transparency in public procurement.
The GIS assured the public of its commitment to prudent resource management, emphasising that the implementation of Immigration 360 is part of a broader strategy to modernise Ghana’s border management processes and improve efficiency at all entry points.
