The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has taken a two-week leave.

He officially started the leave last week. Sources at the presidency told Joy News the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare permitted him.

Joy News checks reveal that the Dormaa Central MP is in his constituency to usher around President Akufo-Addo who is on a regional tour.

There have been rumours that Mr Agyeman-Manu has resigned, but Joy News sources at the presidency have denied this, saying he is on leave.

Agyeman-Manu must go

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, to resign following revelations in the report of the Parliamentary Committee that probed the Sputnik V vaccine contract.

Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu also says the Minister “should have gone a long time ago.”

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“You see that the report has made matters worse for him,” he explained.

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The New Crusading Guide newspaper Editor-in-Chief, Kweku Baako Jnr, says the Minister has to resign.

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“If he is minded to… resign, I will endorse it; I will vote for him if he were to do the honourable thing and just quit. You cannot defend this.”

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Kofi Bentil on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday stressed that Mr Agyeman-Manu breached every procurement process and constitutional requirements about the contract.

Thus, the Health Minister must be sacked, he said.

Trade of letters

On Monday, the Minister wrote to Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum with whom he signed a deal to procure Sputnik V vaccines, to refund the money for the non-supplied doses.

According to the letter, the Dubai-based businessman has agreed to refund $2,470,000 paid by government to supply 300,000 doses of Sputnik Covid-19 vaccines.

The letter was in reference to an earlier one dated August 5, 2021, from Sheikh Al Maktoum to the Health Ministry.

“The Private Officer of His Highness, per the correspondence, has honourably agreed to refund an amount of $2,470,000 being the balance left on the 50% advance payment of $2,850,000,” portions of the Health Ministry’s letter to the Finance Ministry read.

Parliamentary probe into botched Sputnik V contract

This comes after the Committee tasked to investigate the deal, found that the amount of $2,850,000 (representing 50% of the contract sum of $5,700,000) has been paid to Messrs Al Maktoum despite the Minister claiming no payment had been made “to the best of my knowledge.”

The amount which translates into the cedi equivalent of GH¢16,331,640 converted at the then prevailing exchange rate of $1 to ¢5.73, was for the cost of 300,000 vaccines.

This comes after the Committee tasked to investigate the deal, found that the amount of $2,850,000 (representing 50% of the contract sum of $5,700,000) has been paid to Sheikh Al Maktoum despite the Minister claiming no payment had been made “to the best of my knowledge.”