A former member of the Central Medical Stores (CMS) management committee has said the fire at the facility was “deliberate”.
Alhaji Inua Yusif maintained that, the fire could not have been an act of God because the drugs had no combustible to start the fire.
He revealed this on Adom FM’s anti-corruption segment, Fabewoso Wednesday.
Alhaji Inua Yusif who was named as being part of a syndicate which stole drugs and other medical supplies from the Central Medical Stores (CMS) says he has been wrongfully accused.
He explained that, as Head of Logistic Management at the Ministry of Health, he decided to take stock of the drugs at the store, only to realize majority had expired.
Alhaji Yusif said they decided to separate the expired drugs for investigations only to be told the place has been gutted by fire.
“The fire started from where we packed the expired drugs and that was strange because it was just syrups and tablets” he stressed.
Inua Yusif is convinced those culpable deliberately set the place blaze to prevent investigations.
He however denies any involvement in the incidences he has been cited for.
“I was not an officer of the CMS. I only represented the MoH to oversee its operation and report. I did not possess or exercise any authorizing/approval powers. I was never investigated or found guilty by any court of competent jurisdiction for taking medical supplies belonging to the CMS,” he stated on
The uninsured CMS contained every conceivable drug imported into the country, including drugs for deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and Ebola.
A committee established to investigate the case blamed it on arson, naming one Samuel Dogbe, a labourer at the Medical Stores as being behind the fire.
In 2016, 12 officials of the Ghana Health Service who were also accused of playing various roles in the arson were also interdicted.
Among the list put out by the then Health Minister, Alex Segbefia, was Yusif.
But Yusif said it is “total falsehood about me. It is utterly untrue, misleading, very embarrassing and lacks credibility in respect of the conclusions made against me, which were completely based on hearsay.
He said although he represented the Ministry of Health a member of the CMS Management Committee – position he held for one year – “I only attended management meetings at the CMS and never possessed nor exercised any authorizing/approving powers. I was not an officer of the CMS, as the Government Statement erroneously portrayed.”
Alhaji Yusif who compiled the list of expired medicines and handed it over to EOCO.
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Fabewoso: Central Medical Stores fire deliberate- Health Ministry staff
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