Parliament on Friday constituted a nine-member Adhoc Committee to investigate the procurement contracts between the Government of Ghana and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum and one other for the supply of Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccines.
Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin is the chairman of the committee, and Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Ranking Member on the Health Committee is vice.
The rest of the members are Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, Chairman of the Health Committee; Bernard Ahiafor, MP for Akatsi South; Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, MP for Asante-Akim Central, Ernest Norgbey, MP for Ashaiman; Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, MP for Techiman North; Sheila Bartels, MP for Ablekuma North; and Farouk Aliu Mahama, MP for Yendi Constituency.
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu announced the names of the members of the Ad hoc Committee to the House.
He said the terms of reference of the Committee was to determine whether or not the transaction for the procurement and supply of the Sputnik V vaccine between the Government of Ghana (GOG) represented by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Al Maktoum S.L Group qualifies as international Business or Economic transaction under Article 181(5) of the Constitution, and if so, whether it was subjected to prior approval of Parliament.
Also, the Committee is to determine the procurement process that was followed and the propriety of same and the prices of the vaccines as well as determine whether the services of the middleman were procured in the transaction and if so, having propriety regard to the relevant laws.
Additionally, the Committee is to ascertain the cost of the vaccines and the justification of the cost vaccines, and whether the transaction guaranteed value for money for Ghana.
Moreover, the Committee is to determine whether or not any consideration was passed from the GOG to the middleman, suppliers, or any other person.
Furthermore, for the Committee to determine or not the Ministry of Health misled Parliament during the consideration of the transaction for the procurement of the vaccine.
The Committee also to inquire into any other matters connected to the purchase and supply of the Sputnik V vaccine in the agreement between the GOG and the private office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum and S.L Global.
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu in a comment suggested that the Ad hoc Committee should have been a committee of eight members reflecting the size of each caucus.
He said the Minority Side has no problem with Mr Afenyo Markin, Chairing the Ad hoc Committee with Kwabena Mintah Akandoh as his Vice-Chairman.
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah who was in the chair commissioned the Ad hoc Committee and ask them to report to the House in three weeks.