The Health Minister says the government’s contract with middle-man Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum to supply the country with Sputnik V vaccines has 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 get the vaccines due to global shortage.”
Mr Agyemang Manu noted the company has already supplied 20,000 doses.
He, however, said the government had issued letters of credits to the company and it will re-engage them to meet the remaining obligation.
The nine-Member Committee is chaired by the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, with the Minority spokesperson on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh as Vice Chairman.
Other members are Member of Parliament (MP) for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor, Asante Akyem Central MP, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Chairman of the Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, Ashaiman MP, Ernest Henry Norgbey, Techiman North MP, Eunice Ofosu Adjare, Yendi MP, Umar Farouk Aliu Mahama and MP for Ablekuma North, Sheila Bartels.
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The Committee’s work is pursuant to Order 191 of the Parliament Standing Orders.
The bi-partisan Committee will investigate the procurement contracts between the Government of the Republic of Ghana and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum and one other for the supply of Sputnik-V COVID-19 Vaccines and submit a report for the consideration of the House within three weeks.
The committee’s work follows a private members’ motion filed by seven Minority MPs who requested for the House to investigate the matter over alleged procurement and constitutional breaches by the government.
Listen to the Minister in the audio attached below.