Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin has been tasked to chair a nine-member Parliamentary Committee that will probe government's procurement of Sputnik V vaccines from Russia. 

The Committee is made up of four NDC and five NPP members. 

NDC MP and Ranking member on Parliament's Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has been selected as the Vice Chairman of the Committee. 

Other members of the NDC on the Committee are; Bernard Ahiafor, Ernest Norgbey, and Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare. 

The other NPP MPs on the Committee are; Dr. Ayew Afriyie, Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, Sheila Bartels and Farouk Ali Mahama. 

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Majority Leader, Kyei Mensah Bonsu listed the Terms of Reference of the Committee, which includes; determining whether or not the vaccines were legally procured.  

He said, the Committee will also determine “the procurement process that was followed and the propriety of same, whether the services of a middle man was procured in the transaction and if so the propriety of same, having regard to the relevant laws and also ascertain the cost of the vaccine, the justification of the cost of the vaccine and whether the transaction guaranteed value for money for Ghana.”

He stated that the Committee has been directed to submit a report on the findings for the consideration and necessary action by Parliament, within three weeks.

Meanwhile, Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak is protesting the composition, insisting it should have had an equal number of NPP and NDC MPs.

He explained that the two caucuses have the same number of MPs in Parliament and this must reflect In the setting up of Committees as well.

“This House, we have always set up committees based on the strength of the caucuses. Mr Speaker, even when you use 138 [for the NPP], pick your calculator and check, the strength is 50.08.”

“Also, 137 gives you 49.82 and we always round them to the nearest whole number, that gives you 50 50. That is why on the Health Committee [which has] 20 members, we have 10 on each side, on the Energy Committee [with] 18 members, you have 9/9 and on the Appointments Committee with  26 [members], we have 13/13,” he said.