The Ministry of Health has clarified concerns raised by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, regarding the service contract between the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives and Service Ghana Auto Group Limited.
The Ministry explained in a statement that the contract, signed on September 10, 2020, was for the provision of after-sales service and maintenance for 307 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 CDI ambulances.
“The Ministry of Health would like to clarify that the Service Provider, Ghana Auto Group Limited, has not been paid an amount of $34.9 million as widely reported,” the statement said.
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The Ministry added that it was committed to ensuring a sustainable maintenance regime for all fleets procured for the National Ambulance Service to provide reliable, efficient, and safe emergency medical services.
“All documentation covering this transaction is a matter of public record and can be accessed by the public,” the statement said.
The Ministry also expressed its readiness to support any effort that would bring further clarity to the issue in the interest of the public.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability in all our transactions,” said the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry.
The statement explained that the Ministry of Finance had only funded up to $10 million of the requested amount for the procurement of spare parts, and recommended that the Ministry of Health explore financing the difference through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
The NHIA, however, stated that it was unable to fund the cost of the procurement of the spare parts, as it was not captured in the allocation formula approved by Parliament.
