Attorney-General Godfred Dame says some clauses in the Health Ministry's $64 million contract with Dubai-based businessman Sheik Al-Mahktoum to supply Sputnik V vaccines to Ghana are in breach of FDA regulations, as well as biased and skewed against the state.
In a letter dated April 12, 2021, to the Minister for Health Kwaku Agyemang Manu, the Attorney-General urged the ministry to buy vaccines directly from Russia because other countries are doing that.
The agreement says the Ministry of Health shall not withhold payment for any supply doses of the vaccines over alleged defects unless written notice has been given to the seller.
The Attorney-General observes this clause is biased against Ghana. The agreement says the Ministry shall not initiate undertake any batch recall without the prior consultation with and written documentation with the seller.
The AG said the clause places Ghana at the mercy of the seller because the seller would have to agree before the buyer can initiate or undertake such a contract.
The AG observed that the distributor in the agreement indicates that it is not an agent in the manufacture and therefore would not be liable for any losses under this agreement.
The AG suggested that it would be more prudent for the Ministry to engage directly with manufacturers who can be held liable in case of adverse effect for the procurement of the next badge.
Well, even before the Ministry sent the agreement to the Attorney General for advice, it had already signed the contract.
The contract was, however, terminated by Sheik Al-Mahktoum on 14th July 2021, a day before the Parliamentary Committee investigating the deal began its public probe.
The nine-member parliamentary committee probing the contract is expected to submit its report later this week.
Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Charles Agbeve says with the revelations that have emerged so far, the Health Minister has no business holding onto his position.
“The probe is fantastic, it’s bringing out the real issues and he’s also being honest about the facts I expect the Minister to jump, he shouldn’t be pushed. You don’t say these in certain countries and go scot-free,” he said.
Latest Stories
-
Works and Housing Ministry launches BENCHH 2024
1 min -
You misunderstood Bawumia’s ‘driver’s mate’ analogy – Miracles Aboagye tells Naana Opoku-Agyemang
21 mins -
Bulk Oil Distributors object to government’s plan to designate BEST sole off-taker
35 mins -
NPP likely to retain Ejisu seat – Global InfoAnalytics
40 mins -
Government allocates $20m for Kpong Irrigation Scheme expansion
46 mins -
Today’s front pages: Friday, April 26, 2024
46 mins -
Suspend implementation of Planting for Food and Jobs 2.0 – Stakeholders to government
47 mins -
Mahama is the worst President Ghana has ever seen – Deputy Majority Whip
49 mins -
Over 1 million students enrol in Free SHS -Education Minister
55 mins -
GWCL announces water supply interruption in Western Region
1 hour -
Kwami Ahiabenu: What is prompt engineering?
1 hour -
Elections 2024: Your continued silence is more than deafening…
2 hours -
Let’s live peacefully and shame our saboteurs – Savannah executives of NPP, NDC
6 hours -
Reconstruction of Agona-Nkwanta-Tarkwa road 80 per cent complete
6 hours -
Internet penetration: 10.7 million Ghanaians offline – LONDA Report
6 hours