Minority raises concerns with procurement process for J & J vaccines

The Minority in Parliament is raising red flags about the alleged payment of GHS109 million by the government for the procurement of Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

According to Ranking Member on the Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the agreement covering the payment and supply was not brought to Parliament under Article 181(5) of the Constitution for approval.

Speaking on Accra based Starr FM, the Juaboso MP said, there is clear reference to the payment in the 2021 mid-year budget review.

“In the midyear budget as part of the releases, we saw a certain amount of money…. About GHS109 million has been paid, and that is also supposed to be an international transaction. We will ask questions. It has to do with COVID-19 vaccines. 15% of a certain amount has been released and that is the GHS109 million for procurement of vaccines, so we will ask questions… Probably there are explanations for it,” he said.

The legislator said he is certain that no international agreement for the procurement of the vaccine came to Parliament for approval as demanded by the constitution.

He said, “it did not come to the House. I am a Ranking Member on the Health Committee, so I would have known or seen it, but it is not anywhere in the House. They did not bring it to the House.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service has begun the rollout of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to be given to the unvaccinated population.

The exercise will be carried out across the country.