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The Health MInister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu is been making the headlines following the botched Sputnik V vaccines deal, with many calling for his sack.
Many Ghanaians believe the minister failed to do a due diligence as far as the deal is concerned hence calling for his sack as the minister of health.
Despite the numerous call for the sacking of Agyemanu-Manu, the communication officer of the National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi think otherwise.[ads2]
It would be recalled that on Friday, August 6, 2021, the ad-hoc committee that was tasked to probe the deal, submitted its findings to the house.
The Committee among other things reported that the Ministry of Health did not comply with the requirements of Article 181(5) of the Constitution in respect of its agreement with an intermediary, Messrs Al Maktoum.
The committee also determined that the agreements were entered into without prior approval by the Public Procurement Authority under Sections 40 and 41 of Act 663.[ads3]
“The Agreements ensuing from the negotiations have been submitted to the PPA for ratification…Indeed, at the time of completing its work, PPA was yet to do the ratification.”
“The committee urges the Minister for Finance to take steps to recover the money due to the Republic in respect of the amount of US$2,850,000.00 (Cedi equivalent of GH¢16,331,640.00) being the cost of the Sputnik-V vaccines that were proposed to be procured,” the Committee recommended
In a post, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi believes the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is the real culprit and not Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and therefore has to resign with immediate effect.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, it was the Finance Minister who without Parliamentary approval, paid a whopping 160 billion old Ghana cedis to the Dubai Sheikh, and therefore has to be roasted and not Kwaku Agyeman-Manu as the health minister.
“Why are we over-concentrating on the Health Minister in the discussion about the botched Sputnik Vaccine Supply deal when the chief culprit is none other than the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, who without Parliamentary approval, paid a whopping 160 billion old Ghana cedis to the Dubai Sheikh.[ads4]
“This is the same person who without any transparent selection process, engaged and paid his own company, Enterprise Insurance a whopping 110 billion old Ghana cedis as COVID-19 insurance premium for health workers.
“Why is no one calling for the head of this corrupt Finance Minister? Is it because he is the cousin of the President?… The reckless conduct of Ken Ofori Atta in paying millions of Ghana cedis for an unlawful Vaccine Supply contract makes it imperative that Parliament immediately conducts a bi-partisan probe into the entire government expenditure on COVID-19 and related matters. But even before that, #KenOforiAttaMustResign.”[ads5]
