Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has assured the general public that his outfit will no longer proceed with any procurement without parliamentary approval.
His comment comes on the back of the purchase of some Sputnik-V vaccines and the subsequent termination of a contract between the government of Ghana and middle-man Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum who was contracted to supply 3.4 million doses of vaccines for the country.
Responding to questions during a Parliamentary probe into the termination of the contract, on Monday, the Minister admitted to procuring the vaccines without the approval of the House.
This was in clear contravention of requirements of Article 181(5) of the 1992 Constitution.
But explaining that the decision was taken to save the citizenry during the heat of the second wave of the pandemic, Mr. Agyeman-Manu said he was desperate to get vaccines and was frustrated because regular vaccine supply sources had failed.
"I had plans to come to seek approval from the House after I have signed the contract. But [due to] my frustrations to try to get vaccines for us at the heat of the second wave, I relied on the Executive Instrument 61 passed by Parliament and hid behind emergency clauses that have been invoked to do that and come to Parliament and inform the House
that this is what I had done and, therefore, I need regularisation and need the approval to provide it," he said.
How the contract with Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum ended
The Health Minister on Thursday, July 15, 2021, announced that government’s contract with middle-man Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum to supply the country with Sputnik V vaccines had been terminated.
Addressing the Parliamentary Committee investigating the contracts, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, said the businessman wrote to his outfit on Wednesday to terminate the contract.
He revealed that Sheikh Maktoum’s reason for the decision was because he “is struggling to raise vaccines.”
According to the Minister, Sheikh Al Maktoum had brought the initial consignment to demonstrate the availability of the commodity; however, the suppliers decided to withdraw from the contract after several attempts to get more vaccines from the manufacturers yielded no result.
Latest Stories
-
Death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas surpasses 100
5 hours -
Trump signs executive order extending tariff deadline to August 1
5 hours -
Midweek misery to Friday freedom: A personal journey through Ghana’s new holiday reform
5 hours -
We’re streamlining the galamsey fight, too many are running helter skelter – Mahama
5 hours -
Mahama attributes cedi stability to reforms in gold trading sector
5 hours -
Police arrest key suspect in motorbike theft ring in Accra
5 hours -
Journalists urged to drive urban health awareness through data-driven, science-based storytelling
7 hours -
KNUST Optometry 8th White Coat Ceremony tackles refractive error setbacks to improve access
7 hours -
I’m devastated – Akufo-Addo mourns Akwatia MP Ernest Kumi
7 hours -
IMF Executive Board approves $370m disbursement for Ghana
7 hours -
Castel Group acquires GGBL
7 hours -
Mr. President, your Six-Pillar 24H+ Economic Policy is shaky
7 hours -
T-bills auction: Undersubscription to continue in coming weeks; government misses June 2025 target by 19%
7 hours -
FUND24, the weakest pillar of Ghana’s 24H+ economy: APL cautions President Mahama
7 hours -
Ghana’s tourism picks up in 2024, but cost still a big issue
7 hours