Sheikh Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates has formally stated that he intends to send the COVID-19 vaccine money paid by Ghana back to us.
This was contained in a response to Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu’s request to have the money paid back following the termination of the agreement.
The ad-hoc committee of Parliament that probed the contract agreements for the purchase and supply of Sputnik-V vaccines has directed the Minister for Finance to take steps to recover an amount of GH¢16.3 million paid to Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum.
The amount the committee stated includes the cost of Sputnik-V vaccines that the Ministry of Health paid to Sheik Al Maktoum, a member of the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates, in Dubai.
The Sheikh had served as the middleman for the procurement.
“The Committee urges the Minister for Finance to take steps to recover the money due 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 said.
It added: “We found that the amount of $2.85 million, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum of $5.7 million, has been paid to Messrs Al Maktoum and this translates into the cedi equivalent of GH¢16.3 million converted at the then prevailing exchange rate of US$1 to GH¢5.73 whereas the minister said he had no knowledge of payment under oath.”
The Minister who has been slammed for his failure to seek approval over the botched in a letter dated August 2, 2021, requested a payback to Ghana after the contract was terminated.
The Sheikh has also replied pledging to pay back whatever was paid him when the botched agreement was signed.
Read his full response below
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
