After public outcry, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum has agreed to refund an amount of $2,470,000 to Ghana in the scandalous Sputnik Covid-19 vaccine deal.
The $2,470,000 formed part of the overall amount Ghana paid for the vaccine.
In all, Ghana had paid for the supply of 300,000 doses of Sputnik Covid-19 vaccine
A statement signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari said “The Private Office of His Royal Highness, per the correspondence has honorably agreed to refund an amount of two million four hundred and seventy thousand dollars ($2,470,000.00) being the balance left on the 50% advance payment of two million eight hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars ($2,850,000.00).
‘Resign’
Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, as African Entertainment reported on Tuesday, August 9, 2021, had been asked by a veteran journalist to resign for breaching procurement processes.
An Ad hoc Committee tasked to investigate the procurement of the Sputnik V vaccine found out that Mr Agyeman-Manu breached procurement processes and constitutional requirements in relation to the contract.
As a result, the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has asked that the Health Minister steps down from his role.
Mr Baako made the call while speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile monitored by African Entertainment.
He stated that there was no justification for the Minister’s action.
He described the Minister’s action as an “unmitigated disaster”.
According to him, “If he were to do the honourable thing and just resign because you can’t defend this.”
Mr Baako further noted that signing the deal without any “Cabinet, Public Procurement Board or Parliamentary approval, is a mess.”
The Ad hoc Committee was formed by the Parliament of Ghana to investigate the contract.
The Committee submitted its report to Parliament on Friday, August 6, 2021.
Among other things, the Committee found that the contract with Messrs Al Maktoum, was signed without approval by the Public Procurement Authority under Sections 40 and 41 of Act 663 and without regard to the requirements of Article 181(5) of the Constitution.
The report indicated that “The Committee found that the amount of $2,850,000.00 (representing 50% of the contract sum of $5,700,000.00) has been paid to Messrs Al Maktoum and this translates into the cedi equivalent of GH¢16,331,640.00 converted at the then prevailing exchange rate of US$1 to ¢5.73 whereas the Minister said he had no knowledge of payment under oath.”
As such, the Committee has asked that the Finance Ministry should retrieve the $2,850,000.00 (representing 50% of the contract sum of $5,700,000.00) paid to Messrs Al Maktoum.
