The Minority in Parliament says it’s own investigations have established that Russian authorities have at all times been willing to deal directly with Ghana contrary to what the government has claimed in relation to the purchase of Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccines through a middleman.

“The Minority’s own investigations into this Sputnik V scandal is that the Russian authorities have at all times been willing to deal directly with Ghana contrary to what the Akufo-Addo government has been claiming.”

The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu disclosed this while adressing the media in Accra Thursday, June 24, 2021.

They have therefore asked the government to abrogate the contract with the middleman and deal directly with the Russian authorities.

According to the minority, the government's justification for purchasing 3.4 million doses of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine using a middleman at a unit cost of US$19 instead of US$10 was unconvincing and an embarrassment to Ghana.

It said the purported Vaccine Supply Agreement between the Ministry of Health, signed by the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum on March 9, 2021 violated Article 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution which required Parliamentary approval for international agreements of that nature.

Besides, it said the purchase of the vaccines from Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum did not guarantee the safety and potency of those vaccines for the people of Ghana.

“Indeed, WHO has warned all countries including Ghana to desist from the purchase of vaccines using intermediaries because it has the tendency of resulting in sub-standard vaccines that can be harmful to
our compatriots,” it said.