Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, a ranking member of the Health Committee of Parliament has questioned the decision of the finance minister in the now botched Sputnik V vaccine deal.
The deal which was first facilitated by the health minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu was terminated over concerns raised in the procurement process done through a middleman.
Appearing before the Committee on Monday July 19, the health minister admitted that he did not act in good faith in the procurement processes of the vaccines.
But Kwabena Mintah Akandoh described as shocking, the finance minister’s decision to approve an amount of GH¢16 million without parliamentary approval for the procurement process.
“Our minister responsible for finance is a threat to our economy. And I say so because if you go to page 101, the man has made a payment of GH¢16 million to procure vaccines outside this country. Without insisting on the required procedure.”
Akandoh’s comments on the floor of the House were challenged by Okaikoi Central lawmaker, Patrick Yaw Boamah.
Boamah suggested the comments made were prejudice since the ad hoc committee which probed the health minister is yet to deliver its report to the plenary.
“Mr. Speaker, I think you made a referral to a special committee investigating this matter. This is a prejudicial statement from a member of that committee and he must recuse himself from that committee before the report comes to this house.”
“It’s a prejudicial statement from a whole member of that committee that you set up. Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if you’ve seen the report, it’s a very dangerous comment coming from a ranking member of health and a vice-chair of a committee that you have set up to investigate the matter and report to this house. To make comments on the minister of finance’s statement is airing his views on that committee to the floor which is very dangerous,” Boamah lamented.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin on his part also ruled that Mintah Akandoh’s personal views on the matter did not represent the ad hoc committee of which he serves on.
