By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
The Herald ghanaThe Herald ghana
  • Home
  • General
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Editorial
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Feature
  • Health
  • World
Reading: Ato Forson authorised payment to ambulance supplier contrary to contract’s terms – Health Minister to court
Share
Aa
The Herald ghanaThe Herald ghana
Aa
  • Home
  • General
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Editorial
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Feature
  • Health
  • World
Search
  • Home
  • General
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Editorial
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Feature
  • Health
  • World
Follow US
  • Advertise
Copyright © 2022 The Herald Ghana. All Rights Reserved
Major Politics

Ato Forson authorised payment to ambulance supplier contrary to contract’s terms – Health Minister to court

J N
Published July 21, 2022
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, has accused a former Deputy Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson of authorizing payments to an ambulance supplier contrary to clear terms of the contract.

Mr. Manu told the High Court the terms of the contract required that payment should not be made until the vehicles are delivered. Inspection, he explained was also to be carried out prior to shipping of the vehicles.

“….a letter was sent from Ministry of Finance instructing Bank of Ghana to establish letters of credit. That was authored by the first accused, Honourable Ato Forson, Deputy Minister for Finance at the time.

This letter was done without recourse to the Ministry of Health as well as the commercial agreement that was signed between Big Sea and the Ministry of Health.
There was no reference to the contract agreement that stipulated that there should be no advance payment and that the vehicles should be delivered before payment is made,” Mr. Manu said.

Mr. Agyemang Manu is the state’s third witness in the case against Dr. Forson and two others.

More Read

Aisha Huang in court, says i don’t understand Twi

Judge reminds lawyers in Ato Forson’s case that the court was not Parliament to heckle each other
How does Akufo-Addo know James Gyakye Quayson will go to jail- Former Attorney General asks
Alex Segbefia & others face arrest warrant

They have been charged with various offences including that of causing financial loss to the state in the importation of 30 ambulances that formed part of a consignment of 200 under a contract signed between the Ministry and Dubai-based firm, Big Sea Limited, in 2012.

Mr. Manu on Thursday, July 2021 continued with his testimony which he had started on June 28.

He explained that after the contract for the supply of ambulances and all agreements had been approved, the government was not performing its end of the bargain. Big Sea, he explained wrote to the Attorney General serving notice of its intention to sue. Big Sea he said was unhappy that government was failing to undertake the pre-shipment inspection as had been agreed.

The Attorney General’s Office, he revealed, wrote to the Ministry of Health urging government to obey the terms of the contract or find a way out of it since it was legally binding and disobeying it will result in a judgment debt. This was after it had received the letter from Big Sea communicating its intention to sue.

He revealed the Ministry of Health replied to the Attorney General saying the contract could not be performed.
“The basic reason given was that the parliamentary approval for the financing agreement indicated that the source of funding should be from Stanbic Bank and at the time, the ministry had not been informed of any credit agreement between Ministry of Finance and Stanbic Bank so there were no funds available for execution of the agreement.”

Mr. Manu said it was after this letter was written that Dr Forson wrote to the Bank of Ghana. This move, he insisted, was contrary to the agreement.

He alleged that the first 10 vehicles arrived in the country shortly after but were found to be defective by the Ambulance Service.

Big Sea, he continued, was informed of the defect and the company accepted the defect.

The company he revealed, invited officials of the Ministry to come over to its production facility in Dubai to ensure that the defects are fixed.

This invitation he claimed did not happen because Big Sea kept postponing the date for the visit.

Big Sea he said, continued to ship some more vehicles into the country.

“The Ministry wrote back to Big Sea reminding Big Sea of the obligation of rectification (fixing defects). The Ministry of Health then wrote to the Ministry of Finance indicating its decision to suspend the contract for the supply of the ambulance,” he stated.

The Ministry of Health he explained eventually sent the technical team to engage Big Sea in Dubai but the company failed to fix the defects.

You Might Also Like

Aisha Huang in court, says i don’t understand Twi

Judge reminds lawyers in Ato Forson’s case that the court was not Parliament to heckle each other

How does Akufo-Addo know James Gyakye Quayson will go to jail- Former Attorney General asks

Alex Segbefia & others face arrest warrant

J N July 21, 2022
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Copy Link
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Cry0
Happy0
Surprise0
Angry0
Wink0
Previous Article COVID-19 Trust Fund left with GH¢9m in account; appeals for more funds
Next Article Atta Mills’ family demands relocation of his body to Ekumfi Otuam
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Latest News

Former Bantama MP dies aged 49
General Major 1 September 23, 2023
Where is our democracy going? – CHRAJ boss slams untouchable EC, Supreme Court
General Major 1 September 22, 2023
Stop lecturing us- Guinea’s junta leader tells UN
Major 1 World September 22, 2023
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe calls on Kufuor, Clergy to speak up
General Major 1 September 21, 2023
CurrencyRate

You Might also Like

GeneralMajor 1

Aisha Huang in court, says i don’t understand Twi

July 18, 2023
GeneralMajor 1

Judge reminds lawyers in Ato Forson’s case that the court was not Parliament to heckle each other

July 7, 2023
Major 1Major Politics

How does Akufo-Addo know James Gyakye Quayson will go to jail- Former Attorney General asks

June 27, 2023
GeneralMajor 1

Alex Segbefia & others face arrest warrant

June 23, 2023
Show More

Copyright © 2022 The Herald Ghana. All Rights Reserved

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?