Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, the Dubai-based businessman approached by the Ministry of Health in connection with the failed purchase of 300,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine, has agreed to reimburse Ghana $2,470,000.
The Ministry had written to him requesting a refund.
A letter sent to the businessman, dated August 2, 2021, and signed by the Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, sought a return of the money paid for vaccination doses that had not been provided.
“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 transferred to your office on the 13th of April 2021,” Mr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu wrote.
As a result, he requested that the Ministry confirm the amount and give account information for the reimbursement to be handled.
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter, Ref No. MOIVOM/LL1/7/2I, dated 2nd of August 2021, with a formal request to refund the remaining amount of the non-supplied doses from the 50% advance transferred to our accounts.”
We, hereby, request to kindly acknowledge and confirm the above-mentioned amounts to be refunded, further to which we shall initiate the refund process to your bank account. Please share with us the bank details where the refund needs to be processed.”
Ghana paid $2.8M in botched Sputnik V vaccine deal – Report reveals
Ghana paid more than US$2.8 million to Sheikh Al Maktoum for the Sputnik V vaccination, according to reports.
This contradicts the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu’s prior claim that the state had spent no money on the vaccination because it was procured through Sheikh Al Maktoum, a Dubai-based billionaire.
In their final report, the nine-member ad hoc parliamentary committee set up to investigate the controversial Sputnik V vaccine procurement deal revealed that Sheikh Dalmook Al Maktoum was paid US$2,850,000, or half of the US$5,700,000 owed to him for the eventual supply of 300,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine.
“According to the Bank of Ghana’s letter dated March 31, 2021, out of the total amount of US$5,700,000.00 owed to Sheikh Al Maktoum, an amount of US$2,850,000.00 representing 50% has been paid to him, translating to a Cedi equivalent of GH16,331,640.00 converted at the exchange rate of US$1 to GH5.73,” the report stated.
As a result, the committee charged Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, with retrieving the funds that had been paid.
Source: CITINEWSROOM
