Sputnik V fiasco: Dubai Sheikh agrees to refund $2,470,000 to government

Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum has agreed to refund balance of monies paid for the procurement of Sputnik V Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines.

His decision follows a letter written by the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu who is under intense pressure to resign to refund monies paid into his account for 300,000 Sputnik V vaccines that were not supplied.

This became necessary after a report from parliament’s Ad hoc committee indicted the Health Minister of failing to seek parliamentary approval before entering into the agreement.

Kwaku Agyemang Manu in July this year admitted that he independently approved the purchase of a $64.6 million contract for Sputnik V Vaccine from Russia out of frustration.

This subjected him to all manner of criticisms for entering an agreement for the supply of Sputnik V vaccines with a middleman, Sheikh Al Maktoum without Parliament approval.

The Health Minister who said no money was paid in a letter written to Sheikh Al Maktoum asking for a refund of the balance of payment for 300,000 doses. " It would be very much appreciated if the amount is transferred back into the sending bank account as per the earlier swift advice dated 9th April, 2021."

After presenting Ghana with 20,000 doses of the vaccine instead of the initially agreed doses of 300,000 for the first batch, the deal was subsequently terminated.

He stated, “By this letter, I also wish to formally request for the refund of the remaining amount for the non-supplied doses, which should be the total amount paid to your office, minus the amount due for the 20,000 doses you already supplied, in line with your earlier e-mail dated 25th July, 2021, in which it was affirmed that on the 13th April, 2021, funds were transferred into your accounts as fifty percent (50%) advance for the initial batch of 300,000 doses,” parts of the letter read.

Read More: Sputnik V fiasco: Transfer the money back — Health Minister goes after Sheikh for refund

In a reply to Health Minister, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum has confirmed that he is ready to initiate the process to transfer $2,470,000 into the bank account to be provided by the Minister.

Below is the letter from Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum: