Ablakwa fingers Ofori-Atta, Agyeman-Manu in US$34.9m ambulance ‘scandal’

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in his latest exposé, has accused the former Finance Minister, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, and the former Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, of causing financial loss to the state.

He has cited the two former ministers in a ‘scandal’ involving the procurement of ambulance spare parts to the tune of US$34.9million for the 307 ambulances purchased by the government in 2019.

According to Ablakwa, few days to his exit from office as Finance Minister following the reshuffle, Ken Ofori-Atta in February 2024, approved for the payment of the said amount into the account of Service Ghana Auto Group Limited for the procurement of the spare parts.

In a Monday, July 22, 2024 post on his Facebook containing documents of the said transfers, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu indicated that the sum, when divided by the total number of ambulances, constitutes US$113,695.456.00 per ambulance.

The cost of the spare parts for ambulance, per checks, the lawmaker stated, can purchase a brand new equipped ambulance for the state, making him wonder why the two former ministers approved of such transaction.

“In his (Ken Ofori-Atta) last shockingly sleazy conduct, Ken Ofori-Atta by a letter dated 9th February, 2024 approved a staggering US$34,904,505.00 to be paid to the discredited Service Ghana Auto Group Limited for the procurement of spare parts for the 307 ambulances purchased by government in 2019.

“On the same 9th February, 2024, the busy Finance Minister instructed the Controller and Accountant-General to release US$10million, equivalent to GHS120,711,000.00.

“My impeccable tracking of this transaction confirms that the Controller and Accountant-General processed and released the GHS120,711,000.00 on February 23, 2024 which was promptly received in the accounts of Service Ghana Auto Group Limited.

“An analysis of this dubiously outrageous transaction valued at US$34,904,505.00 for spare parts for 307 ambulances, actually translates into US$113,695.456.00 per ambulance.

“Instructively, checks from many Mercedes Benz ambulance dealers across the world show that US$113,695,456.00 is far more than the value of a considerable number of modern fully equipped new ambulances.

“Why sign a rip-off and an unconscionable sweetheart deal of US$113,695.456.00 just for spare parts when you can buy a new fully equipped modern Mercedes Benz ambulance for the same value, and even less?” the legislator quizzed.

Source:onuaonline.com