The Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee that probed the Sputnik Vaccine deal, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has said he will ensure that the money paid by the Finance Ministry is refunded as recommended by the Committee. 

“I can assure you that I am going to follow this money till evidence of refund is shown to Parliament. It’s not as if you are just going to tell us that it’s been paid and that’s the end, no,” he said on JoyNews’ AM Show, Monday.

His comment comes after the Parliamentary Committee that probed the Sputnik Vaccine deal recommended that the Finance Ministry retrieves the amount of GH¢16,331,640 paid to Sheikh Ahmed Al-Maktoum in relation to the Health Ministry’s bid to procure the Russian vaccines through the middleman.

The ad hoc Committee found that government paid the Dubai-based businessman Sheikh Al – Maktoum the said amount despite claims by the Health Minister under oath that, "“to the best of my knowledge, we haven’t done any payment”.

Speaking with Host Israel Laryea, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh said even though the censure motion was deferred by the Speaker, he will continue to pursue the matter with a Parliamentary question till a refund is effected.

He noted that “we’ve heard issues about the fact that Ghana has not lost any money and all that, and we are where we are at the moment.”

“And so I will continue to pursue this issue till this money is actually refunded to the state,” he reiterated.

As the ranking member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Mr Mintah-Akandoh said, “unfortunately that is my job, so whether you like it or you don’t like it, I must also live up to expectation.”

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, to resign from office with a section of the public calling for sanctions even after his resignation.