Sputnik V Vaccine Contractor, Sheikh Al Maktoum Coughs Back US$2.47m

The Emirati Prince, SheikhAhmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, who was fraudulently contracted as a middleman to supply Ghana the Russian Sputnik V covid-19 vaccine has confirmed paying back US$2.47million dubiously paid to him by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu.

This is confirmed in a letter dated August 11, 2021, written to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari.

The recall of the contract money was after Sheikh Al Maktoum had failed to deliver 300,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine which he and Agyemang Manu had agreed to have him supply to Ghana at a cost of US$19 per vaccine.

This is in spite of the fact that the Russians were supplying the vaccine at US$10 per vaccine.

The Health Minister justifies the costlier arrangement saying the vaccine was needed urgently to vaccinate Ghanaians against covid-19.

The Parliamentary ad hoc committee had instructed for the money to be retrieved, Sheikh Al Maktoum had written to Ghana saying he had already made the refund.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Sheikh Al Maktoum states that the requested amount of $2.47 million has already been refunded to the designated bank account as communicated by you.

The communication had the SWIFT and the payment advice attached.