Kweku Baako Jnr says it is good timing for the minister to resign to save his integrity
• Kwaku Baako Jnr. describes health minister’s breach of procurement processes as a mess
• A committee probing the deal says due process was not followed
• Baako believes it will do the minister a lot of good to resign
By and by, people are mounting pressure on the minister of health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, to resign.
The latest is Kweku Baako Jnr, the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide who says the minister committed “unmitigated disaster”.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com, the celebrated journalist stated that on NewsFile that it would be welcome news for him should the minister decide to step down now.
“It is an unmitigated disaster. [There was] No cabinet approval, no PPA approval, and no parliamentary approval. It is a mess. It was an unmitigated disaster. He must do the honorable thing and resign because he cannot defend it. If he was minded to resign, I will vote for him,” he said.
The controversial subject of the procurement of Sputnik V vaccines by the government, led by Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has been exacerbated after the minister appeared before the ad hoc committee constituted by parliament to look into the matter.
It was established that the minister, besides telling lies even under oath, breached processes involved in such procurements, as well the constitutional requirements for such contracts.
In its words, the committee said that “The Agreements ensuing from the negotiations have been submitted to the PPA for ratification… Indeed, at the time of completing its work, PPA was yet to do the ratification.
“The committee urges the Minister for Finance to take steps to recover the money due to the Republic in respect of the amount of US$2,850,000.00 (Cedi equivalent of GH¢16,331,640.00) being the cost of the Sputnik-V vaccines that were proposed to be procured.”
