Former Minister of Health in the erstwhile John Mahama administration, Alex Segbefia, has denied any involvement in a contract to purchase some 30 ambulances estimated at $2.4 million.
“No contract was signed under my tenure . . . and people keep forgetting that I was a Minister for eighteen months . . . no contract was signed under my tenure,” he disclosed.
30 out of 200 ambulances procured by the Ministry of Health in 2016, did not meet specifications, compelling the Ministry to suspend the purchase and distribution of the ambulances to government hospitals.
According to the Minister of Health, Kweku Agyemang Manu, during the transition period, it was noted that the ambulances were supplied but they were not accepted because of the specification deficiencies.
However few months on, the Ministry of Health noted that the ambulances had been paid for.
The Ministry has therefore referred the issue to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for investigations.
Speaking in an interview on Citi FM's 'Eyewitness News', Wednesday, Mr Alex Segbefia says he will assist in any investigation because he was not involved in the purchase.
“I have no problem with any investigation . . . I will be happy to assist anyone. I am aware of the issue of the ambulances . . . but in the same vein, one was being careful that we acted in a way which did not put us into the era of another judgment debt if we are to abrogate the contract without going through all the right processes and procedures. My understanding was that the contract was contracted between a company called Big Sea and government and they were to procure 200 ambulances. 30 of those ambulances arrived in the country but they were not fit for purpose and we therefore had to look at a way of ensuring that they become fit for purpose. I sent people from the Ministry of Health to go directly and speak to the suppliers and they gave us particular timetable as to sending down further equipment that were required to make them fit for purpose,” he explained.
According to him, the issue turned into a court case as a result he “had written to the Ministry of Finance at a certain point to indicate that no payment should be made to anyone till that court case was resolved”.
Even though he doesn’t know if payment was subsequently made, “All I can say is that my suspicions (and I stand to be corrected); I say suspicion because payment had nothing to do with the Ministry of Health; the actual payment. My recollection (and I stand to be corrected) is that this was a contract that dealt with a letter of credit between finance and the suppliers. Finance did the transaction and payment was to be made on production of a bill of lading”.
“But there was a clause which stated that before shipment takes place there has to be inspection with approval from the Ministry; that has never been done and to my understanding was never approved. But once the shipment was done, it is possible that payment may have been made . . . the vehicles were not fit for purpose . . . as to what has happened for the past eight months, I cannot tell . . . while the investigation is going on, it is also important to see how quickly putting all politics aside; if there is a shipment at the port which will make these ambulances fit for purpose; let’s get the equipment out of the port, let’s take out the ambulances and let’s deal with what has gone wrong," he urged.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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OOOOH PEACEFM, SO YOU HAVE NO BETA PICTURES OF THE MAN SEGBEFIA ? LOOK AT HIS MOUTH AND THE SUPPOSE ***barred word*** DEAL; TOOOOO CLOSE TO CALL. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE. AND MAHAMA WEPT AGAIN
I CANNOT FATHOM THE KIND OF LEADERS WE ELECT FOR THESE OUR BELOVED COUNTRY ...I JUST CANT UNDERSTAND.WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM IF YOU SEND A SPECIALIST TO GO THERE AND CHECK THIS SPECIFICATIONS.BUT RATHER A MINISTER WHO KNOWS NOTHING THAN ONLY CHOP CHOP.JUST MAKING ORDINARY GHANAIANS DIE ANYHOW .WHY
Sometimes when one reads such news, the heart bleeds how can human beings threat their country like this? And this are the same people you will find at Churches on Sunday's dolling out huge money to gain cheap glory to support a harvest!
what are they waiting to prosecute all these n d c criminals?
when Nana says he will impliment the free SHS Policy then people like kwesi pratt is asking the source of funds. Do you know what $ 2.4million can do for free SHS???
He's hiding something,what finance is he talking about? Ministry of finance or that of his outfit? You hogs/swines will rot in opposition.
Oyiwa!!! Central Medical Stores Fire, money gone down the drain. Ambulance purchase has also taken a chunk of the tax-payers' money. So now, we realize that NDC smacks off corruption in all their dealings. Where ever there is a procurement, there is chopping of funds. This Segbefia man used to be the Deputy Chief of Staff and with his friend Car-thiff-Wilson, they stole cars at the Tema port. He becomes health Minister and is involved in car the..ivery again, this time Ambulances. No wonder JJR is saying that Mahama and his team were bathed in corruption. Papa J vindicated. Oya to Nsawam now Segbefia.
SEGBEFIA NICE GENTLEMAN.KARL WILSON'S FRIEND.I KNEW ONE DAY YOUR CUP WILL BE FULL AND THIS IS YOUR TIME TO GO TO JAIL.
I HAVE NOW UNDERSTAND WHY DZIFA ATTIVOR SAID NPP WILL JAIL ALL EWES OF FORMAL GOVERNMENT,BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE ENGAGE IN CORRUPT PRACTISES. NANA ADDO PLEASE JAIL THEM ALL.
Lets deal with what has gone wrong indeed. If it were your money l am not sure you will say this. Why is it that anything associated with NDC sparks corruption? How on earth will the finance ministry go ahead to make payment when the ministry of health realized the consignment does not meet the specification. These are the money they used to buy cars for Akua Donkor, Afia Swarzzi, Dormelo etc.