Failure to dismiss Health Minister will dent government’s anti-corruption fight – Vitus Azeem

Anti-corruption crusader, Mr Vitus Azeem, says the refund of $2.4 million by Dubai-based Businessman, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Makhtoum, over the botched Covid-19 vaccine deal does not exonerate the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.

He said the Health Minister had breached the Public Procurement Law for entering into an international transaction without parliamentary approval and insisted that he should either resign or be dismissed by the President.

In a media interview on Thursday, Mr Azeem said failure by President Akufo-Addo to dismiss the Health Minister would be a dent on his anti-corruption credential.

He said the President’s continuous touting of resourcing anti-corruption institutions since taking the reins of government was not enough, and that he needed to “walk the talk” by dismissing the Health Minister.

Madam Mary Adda, the Programmes Manager of Ghana Integrity Initiative, also called on the President to dismiss Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.

She said the President should heed to the call by Civil Society Organisations and Ghanaians and act.

The embattled Health Minister, has taken a two-week leave to settle family matters, according to a letter from the Office of the Chief of Staff.

Sheikh Al Makhtoum, was earlier this year contracted by Ghana’s Health Minister to supply 300,000 Sputnik V vaccines but only supplied 20,000 of the vaccines.

Parliament of Ghana set up an Ad hoc Committee to probe the botched vaccine deal and revealed that the Health Minister had made 50 per cent advance payment to Sheikh Al Makhtoum, contrary to his earlier statement during his vetting that no payment was made.

Source: GNA