This comes after the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, wrote a letter to demand a refund for unsupplied vaccines.

Ghana had already taken delivery of 20,000 out of 300,000 doses of the vaccine but following a probe by an ad-hoc bi-partisan committee, a refund was recommended.

This was due to what the committee described as the breech in procurement processes.

The Sheikh had been paid $2,850,000 for his services out of an expected $5,700,000

A letter from Sheikh Al Maktoum dated August 11, 2021, which announced the refund, said no funds had been drawn under the Letter of Credit.

The businessman noted the Letter of Credit stands expired, as of June 2021.

“The requested amount of Two Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand United States Dollars (USD2,470,000) has already been refunded to the designated bank account, as communicated by you.

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“The SWIFT and the payment advice for the refund have been attached for your reference and record,” part of the letter read.

Read the full letter below:

According to him, he has initiated the steps to transfer the money into the bank account to be provided by the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu.

The refund, according to the Sheikh, is in reference to a letter dated August 2, 2021, signed by Mr Agyemang-Manu and addressed to him.

Meanwhile, a nine-member ad-hoc committee of Parliament that probed the contract agreements had urged the Minister of Finance to recover US$2,850,000 cedi equivalent of GH¢16,331,640), which was paid.

Despite an initial agreement for the supply of 300,000 doses of the vaccine, only 20,000 were delivered before the businessman terminated the contract on July 14, 2021.

Hence, Sheikh Al Maktoum, in his letter of assurance, deducted the amount of $380,000 from the requested refund as payment for the initial 20,000 samples sent which brought the total refund to $2,470,000.

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Mr Agyemang-Manu has come under serious criticism for entering into the vaccine supply agreement without parliamentary, cabinet approval or approval from the Public Procurement Authority.

There has been an intense call for his resignation or dismissal following revelations that the Attorney General advised against the deal.

Read Sheikh Al Matoum’s statement below:

This was confirmed in a letter signed by Mrs Shirley Laryea at the Office of the First Lady and addressed to the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare.

“I am directed to forward, herewith, a consolidated Bank Ghana Limited cheque number 000002 for an amount of GH¢899,097.84 (Eight hundred and ninety-nine thousand ninety-seven Ghana cedis eighty-four pesewas), being the full refund for monies received from 7th January 2017 to date, as allowances given to her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic,” part of the letter read.

It added: “Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic is refunding the amount stated above and also takes the opportunity to decline any allowance to be paid to her in the future.”

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This comes barely 48 hours after Mrs Akufo-Addo made public her decision following the controversies generated over recommendations by the Prof Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu-led Presidential Committee on Emoluments for Article 71 officeholders.

The First Lady described some of the reactions as distasteful and seeking to portray her as “a venal, self-serving and self-centered woman” who is insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians.

Read the full statement below:

She has also pledged her commitment to serve the nation and deliver humanitarian interventions.

This comes barely 24 hours after the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, also declined the offer and announced a repayment of allowances from January 2017 to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.

The Prof Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu-led Presidential Committee recommended Emoluments for Article 71 officeholders including the First and Second Ladies.

The committee had recommended that the First Lady be paid a salary equivalent to a Cabinet Minister who is a Member of Parliament while her husband is in office and the Payment of a salary equivalent to 80% of the salary of a Minister of State who is a Member of Parliament if the spouse served one full term as President or 100% of the salary of a Minister of State who is a Member of Parliament if the spouse served two or more full terms as President.

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However, the recommendations in the past few days have been met with resistance amidst lawsuits from the Bono Regional New Patriotic Party Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye.

The National Democratic Congress and the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability have also served notice of going to court over the issue.

Read the statement below: