Mintah Akandoh calls for investigation into activities of Zipline in Ghana

Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, is advocating for an investigation into the operations of Zipline in Ghana.

Zipline is responsible for delivering medical supplies via drones in certain parts of the country.

Mr Akandoh said that though the government assured that the Zipline services would be funded by corporate bodies, a take or pay agreement between the state and Zipline which does not inure to the benefit of the country has been cited, with about GH¢70 million being committed to the Zipline service by the NHIA for this year.

He shared these concerns during a discussion on the proposed formula for the distribution of the health insurance fund in parliament on Wednesday.

“Mr Speaker, there is an agreement between the Ministry of Health and zipline. Zipline is the company carrying out this emergency medical supply service. Mr Speaker, I have absolutely nothing against anything that has to do with emergency medical supply services, but Mr Speaker I have everything against the provisions in the agreement.

“Mr Speaker, there are provisions that stipulate that whether we fly a drone or not Ghana must pay. And this is a take or pay clause. Mr Speaker the same company Zipline has an agreement with Nigeria, has an agreement with Rwanda, they have an agreement with Tanzania and in this agreement, there are no take and pay clauses in those agreement.”

“Mr Speaker this is inimical to the interest of Ghana and with immediate effect Mr Speaker, if we are going to commit the state resources, we must amend these provisions in the agreement with immediate effect. Mr Speaker, not only must we amend those provisions, I think that there’s a need for us to start probing into the activities of zipline,” he stated.

—citinewsroom