General News of Friday, 2 September 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-09-02We failed to conduct pre-shipment inspection on ambulances - Health Minister tells court
Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and Dr Cassiel Ato Forson
Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Health Minister, has indicated that the government of Ghana failed to conduct a pre-shipment inspection on the ambulances procured by the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama government, before they were shipped to Ghana.
By failing to conduct the pre-shipment inspection on the vehicles, the Health Minister admitted at the Accra High Court on Thursday
Read full articlemorning, that the government of Ghana breached the terms of the contract.
Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister, has been accused of causing financial loss to the state in the purchase of the said ambulances.
Kwaku Agyeman-Manu is the Attorney General’s fourth witness in the case.
The Attorney General had described as not fit for purpose, some thirty ambulances received by the government from supplier Big Sea Trading Company Limited and a €2.3 million loss is said to have been caused to the state as a result of the transaction.
Lawyers for Ato Forson led by Dr. Abdul Aziz Bamba on September 1, continued with their cross-examination of Agyeman-Manu.
The Minister first admitted in his testimony that the government did not perform one of its obligations under the contract.
This was the requirement of establishing Letters of Credit - LC - 120 days after the contract was signed.
Excerpts of cross-examination as reported by myjoyonline.
Lawyer: “Did the government of Ghana establish the LC as in the manner required by clause 4.2.1.?”
Health Minister: “In my mind, I will say no. But my lady let me draw your attention to another fact. In that same bullet point, LCs on the sight of goods shall be established upon the signing of the contract for every 50 ambulances.
“My lady, Exhibit V that I have, speaks about purchasing brand new 200 medical ambulances. And so my lady, the contract for every 50 ambulances that clause 4.2 talks about, was never done. And therefore, the LCs should not have been established at all.”
Lawyer: “Will you agree with me that by the government of Ghana not complying with clause 4.2.1 in terms of the time frame for setting up the LC, the government of Ghana breached Exhibit V.“
Health Minister: “I will like to agree with you”
The Health Minister then admitted that the government equally did not take advantage of the terms of the contract permitting it to inspect the vehicles before they were shipped.
Lawyer: “Exhibit V, Claude 7, provided for a pre-shipment inspection of the ambulances before they are shipped to Ghana. Is that correct?"
Health Minister: “That is correct.”
Lawyer: “To the best of your knowledge, did the government of Ghana conduct a pre-shipment inspection before the ambulances were shipped to Ghana”
Health Minister: “No my lord.”
The Minister subsequently admitted that the Health Ministry reached an agreement with the supplier on a plan for rectifying the defects in the ambulances.
Some medical equipment for the vehicles was since shipped but never cleared from the ports.
Dr Ato Forson's lawyer, however, questioned the Health Minister on why the equipment was not cleared; but the minister observed the ministry did not have the funds to do so.
He, therefore, urged the supplier to clear the items. Ato Forson's lawyer argued that it was the obligation of the Ministry of Health to clear the items.
Lawyer: “The testimony that you just gave is not correct. It was the responsibility of the Government of Ghana to clear the equipment.”
Health Minister: “I do not see it so.”
TWI NEWS
PEN/SARA
