Sputnik V Vaccine: I Was Guided To Protect Public Purse – Health Minister
The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, says he has always been mindful of protecting the public purse in his bid to secure vaccines for Ghana in the wake of COVID-19.
The Minister, who is facing public pressure to resign following the botched Sputnik V COVID-19 deal, said in a statement issued on Friday, August 13, that, “In all of my political life as Deputy Minister, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and now as Minister, I have been guided by the mandate to protect the public purse at all times and as a Minister of Health and also safeguard Ghanaian lives especially during this pandemic.”
He also confirmed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) businessman at the centre of a botched supply of 300,000 Sputnik V to Ghana, has refunded $2.47 million to the government.
Read also: Sputnik V vaccine: Health Minister needs empathy not chastisement – Ken Ofori-Atta
“I am happy to confirm, that pursuant to our mandate to protect the National purse, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum has indeed refunded the sum of Two Million Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand Dollars (US$) back to the National Treasury.”
“The money is now available to the Ministry of Health for the purpose of purchasing much needed vaccines to meet the President's target of 20 million vaccinations by the end of this year,” he added.
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