Parliament will later today, Friday, July 9, 2021, name the members for the bi-partisan parliamentary committee to probe the procurement of the much-talked-about Sputnik-V vaccines through middlemen by the government.

This follows the adoption of a motion from seven members of the Minority for a probe into the contracts between the Republic of Ghana, Sheik Ahmed Al Makhtoum and one other, for the supply of Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccines.

The terms of reference and timelines for the committee will be announced in Parliament as well.

This was disclosed by the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah on Thursday, July 8, 2021.

“The membership of the committee will be communicated to the house in due course. Hopefully on Friday, with the terms and conditions.”

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, admitted the motion from the Minority side for the constitution of a bi-partisan committee to investigate the government’s contract for the procurement of the vaccines on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

The motion was sponsored by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu; Juabeso MP, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh; Dafiama-Bussie-Issa MP, Dr Sebastien Sandaare; North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; Nabdam MP, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane; and Ashaiman MP, Ernest Norgbey.

Background
The country has been struggling to get more vaccines to reach its target of immunizing 20 million citizens.

It later emerged that the government is using the services of middlemen to procure some of Russia’s Sputnik-V vaccines but at a higher cost of US$ 19 other than the original factory price of US$ 10.

This move has not gone done well with some stakeholders, including the Minority in Parliament, which called for the abrogation of the procurement contract.