Sputnik V saga: Review procurement processes, economist tells Parliament

Dr Patrick Assuming, an economist has called on Parliament to take a comprehensive look at the procurement processes in the country.

The Minority in Parliament is demanding the suspension of the procurement of the Sputnik V vaccines and has filed a motion for a bipartisan inquiry into the procurement process of the vaccine.

Speaking with Beatrice Adu on The Big Bulletin, Dr Assuming explained that, looking at the unavailability of the COVID-19 vaccines on the international market, it would be a wrong move to suspend the purchase of the Sputnik V vaccine.

He said, instead, the country’s policies on procurement should be reviewed to ensure more transparency in future purchases.

“To tie it especially to the procurement of the vaccine at this critical moment, I am not sure that suspension is the way to go. Maybe the Minority and the parliament as a whole should take a comprehensive look at the whole procurement process and how we go about procurement in this country.

“…But I think at the moment, this is not the time to halt any attempt to get the vaccine, we know that even with what we started, we are struggling to get the vaccines.”

He added, “I think if we put a halt to it and we restart again then by the time we get the vaccine, things might be too late for us.”

Rip off

The Minority has filed a motion for a bipartisan inquiry into the procurement of the Sputnik V vaccines by the government

The Minority said its decision to request for a bipartisan probe into the procurement process of the Sputnik V vaccine was informed by the detection of fraudulent activities between the government and the intermediaries involved in procuring the vaccine.

Addressing the media in parliament on Thursday 24 June, Haruna Iddrisu explained the deal was a ripe off and not in the best interest of the country.

He said, “We the Minority believe that this contract is not in the interest of Ghanaians and whether payments have been made or not, the contract is null and void and government must as a matter of urgency put in the necessary steps to abrogate the contract”.

The controversies surrounding the procurement of the Sputnik V vaccine started when the Minority spotted a publication by a Norwegian news tabloid (Verdens Gang)

The publication alleged that Ghana had begun the process to purchase 3.4 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine at an overpriced cost of US$19 per dose through intermediaries instead of the stipulated US$10 per dose on the international market.

Elliot Nuertey

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