Dubai-based businessman, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum who the Government of Ghana contracted to supply Sputnik V vaccines has refunded over $2million to the State for 300,000 doses he was unable to supply.
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The Office of the businessman in a letter dated 11th August 2021 and addressed to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari said: “the requested amount of Two Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand United States Dollars (USD22,470,000) has already been refunded to the designated bank account, as communicated by you. The SWIFT and the payment advice for the refund have been attached for your reference and record.”
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This comes after the embattled Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu wrote a letter to demand a refund. “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 on the 13th April, 2021, funds were transferred into your accounts as fifty percent (50%) advance for the initial batch of 300,000 doses.”
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The Health Minister has been under intense pressure after the botched agreement for the supply of Sputnik V vaccines with Sheikh Al Maktoum who acted as a middleman.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo made light of the controversy surrounding the botched Sputnik V vaccine deal entered into by Agyeman Manu.
Addressing a gathering in the Bono Region Tuesday, the president who did not comment on the controversy directly said the minister is ‘currently receiving slaps from Ghanaians’ amidst laughter.
“There are a lot of people from the Bono Region in my government; including the Minister of Health, who is currently receiving slaps. He is an indigene of Dormaa. He has really suffered in that Health Ministry and is still suffering,” he said.
Mr Agyeman Manu is currently on a two-week leave.
Background:
The agreement for the supply of Sputnik V vaccines with Sheikh Al Maktoum who acted as a middleman has generated controversy in Ghana. After presenting Ghana with 20,000 doses of the vaccine instead of the initially agreed doses of 300,000 for the first batch, the deal was subsequently terminated.
The majority of Ghanaians have called for the Health Minister to resign following the agreement he signed with middlemen for the purchase of the Sputnik V vaccines from Russia.
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The Minority in Parliament on Friday also demanded the revocation of the appointment of Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu over breaches in the procurement of Sputnik V vaccines through middlemen.
A report from parliament’s Ad hoc committee investigating the matter indicted the Health Minister of failing to seek parliamentary approval among others.
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Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu in July this year admitted that he independently approved the purchase of a $64.6 million contract for Sputnik V Vaccine from Russia out of frustration.
He told the Ad Hoc Committee of Parliament tasked to probe the controversial Sputnik V vaccines procurement agreement that accumulated frustrations to procure the vaccines for the country compelled him to disregard parliamentary approval as required by Article 181 5 of the 1992 constitution.
In the minister’s justification, he had plans to formally seek parliamentary approval after independently approving the $64.6 million contract.