Give Kweku Agyeman –Manu the benefit of the doubt – Yaw Buabeng Asamoah tells Ghanaians

The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Yaw Buabeng Asamoah has pleaded for clemency for the Minister of Health, Mr Kweku Agyeman-Manu following the outcome of the Parliamentary investigations into the overpriced Sputnik V vaccine procurement scandal.

 According to him, the minister had the intent of saving lives while procuring the vaccines hence it would be unfair to blame any wrong doing on him and asked Ghanaians to grant him the benefit of the doubt.

“The ministry has actually written saying that at the time the minister spoke, he wasn’t aware and again I think he should be given the benefit of the doubt because he has attached all the documentation after. All the documentations have been mobilized and have been attached and demonstrated there and it clearly that the Minister as at the time that he was given evident on this matter was not aware that the payment had been made”.

Mr Buabeng Asamoah made the remarks on TheKeyPoint aired on TV3 on Saturday, August 7, monitored by GhanaPlus.com.

The ruling NPP member said the parliamentary probe into the vaccine scandal was a positive indication for the country’s democracy, however;  Mr Agyeman-Manu must be given the benefit of the doubt because no intentional wrong doing had been established about his action.

“I believe that first of all the process of the committee reviewing it is positive for our democracy, I believe that. Secondly, I believe that the minister should be given the benefits of the doubt to the extent that there is no maleficent or deliberate intent established on his part to do something untoward”

“I am saying that, let us not ascribe maleficent to him at this time, we can’t assume that his intent was to dupe the country, if we do that we are not being fair to him”.

Overpriced Sputnik V vaccine: Agyeman-Manu must go

Pressure have been mounting on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to relieve the  Minister of Health, Mr Kweku Agyeman-Manu of his post following a report that Ghana  purchased the Sputnik V vaccine at $19 per dose instead of the ex-factory price of $10.

The news first reported by a Norwegian news outlet,  Verdens Gang also revealed the country was purchasing the vaccine from the manufacturers through an intermediaries.

The deal had since be abrogated following public outcry and inability of the intermediaries to fulfill the part of the deal despite some GHC16million advance payment made.

The minister was said not to have followed proper laid down procedures with regard to international transactions including seeking parliamentary approval.

Source: GhanaPlus.com