[ad_1]
The parliamentary committee investigating the controversial Sputnik V vaccine purchase contract recommended that the Ministry of Finance recover GH ¢ 16,331,640 paid toSheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum.
This amount was reportedly paid by the government as part of the Ministry of Health’s offer to procure the Russian vaccines through an intermediary.
“The committee noted that the amount of $ 2,850,000.00 (representing 50% of the contract amount of $ 5,700,000.00) was paid to Messrs. 5.73 when the minister said he was not aware of a payment under oath, ”the report revealed.
These are the conclusions of a 28-page report on the findings of the ad hoc committee investigating the contract between the government and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum for the supply of Covid -19 vaccines.
The nine-member committee also examined the circumstances under which Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu reached a deal with the Sheikh and SL Global without seeking parliamentary approval.
The minister has previously told the Committee that the demands of the pandemic and the need for an urgent response have led him to take unilateral decisions that the minority finds questionable.
“I was in a desperate and powerless situation with the management of the Covid numbers. In February [this year], we had 78 deaths; in March, we had 56 deaths, and those are the numbers that prompted me to act, ”he told the committee on July 19, 2021.
“These were not normal times and I was in a serious situation that didn’t make me think properly, as you think now I’m going to make myself aware of the situation.”
After weeks of sitting, the commission, chaired by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, found that indeed “the Ministry of Health did not comply with the requirements of Article 181 (5) of the Constitution with regard to concerns its agreement with MM. Al Maktoum ”.
However, the Committee did not agree with the justification given by the Minister for his actions.
“The Committee is of the opinion that even if the situation in the country at the time of the signing of the Agreement was one of emergency, due process should have been observed because Parliament would have treated the matter with the urgency that ‘it deserved and appropriate action would have been taken as a result,’ some parts of the document read.
In addition, the Committee presented the agreements concluded by the Ministry to the Public Procurement Authority for ratification.
The report is due to be tabled in Parliament for approval later today.
Source link
