The Ministry of Health has begun legal proceedings to reclaim a portion of the money paid to Dubai-based businessman Sheikh Al Maktoum for the failed purchase of 300,000 Sputnik V vaccination pills.
A letter sent to the company and signed by the Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, sought a return of money paid for vaccination doses that were not delivered.
Despite a commitment to provide 300,000 vaccine doses, just 20,000 were supplied before the businessman began the process of terminating the contract on July 14, 2021.
“By this letter, I also wish to formally request for the refund of the remaining amount for the non-supplied doses, which should be the total amount paid to your office minus the amount due for the 20,000 doses you already supplied, in line with your earlier e-mail dated 25th July, 2021, in which it was affirmed that funds were received on the 13th of April, 2021,” Mr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu said in the letter.
Kwaku Agyemang Manu has been heavily chastised for engaging into the vaccine supply deal without legislative, cabinet, or Public Procurement Authority clearance (PPA).
The Attorney General has publicly said that he opposes the agreement.
Last Monday, the Minority in Parliament demanded that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo remove the Minister of Health forthwith, claiming that he is unfit for duty.
They claim he broke the 1992 constitution and his oath of office by attempting to get vaccinations via intermediaries rather than going through Parliament or the cabinet.
“It is beyond any reasonable question that the minister violated his oath of office and, for that matter, failed to defend our country’s constitution and laws.” “I must suggest that the Minister should be sanctioned.” The president must remove him from office. He is unfit to serve as a minister of state and must be removed from office immediately, failing which this House must issue a vote of censure on the minister,” said Muntaka Mubarak, the minority chief whip.
They also chastised the minister for claiming that no payment was made in the transaction, despite the fact that the committee’s findings indicated that money was paid.
However, Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu stated in a news conference that the minister’s use of the proviso “to the best of his knowledge” [he was unaware of any payment] absolves him of any oath-breaking offence.
Source: CITINEWSROOM
