The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has requested MPs challenging his allegation of $34.9 million (GH₵538 million) being the sum of a purchase agreement for ambulance replacement parts, approved by former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
In a post on his Facebook page on Monday, July 22, 2024, Mr. Ablakwa accused the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and former Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu of conniving with a private company to cause financial loss to the state.
The allegation met with a rebuttal by some majority MPs. The MP for Dormaa East, Paul Twum-Barimah, who spoke on the matter, said that the alleged amount in the deal is inaccurate and demanded that the North Tongu MP renders an apology for falsely accusing the individuals involved.
However, speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show, Mr. Ablakwa said he has done intensive research and investigations before the publication, defending that it is factual.
He also requested that any person countering his facts must provide evidence.
“I’m not speaking in conjecture; I’m not speaking to rumour; I’m not speaking to hearsay. I’m speaking directly to intercepted documents, which are unimpeachable, irrefutable, and impeccable. So if any Member of Parliament on the other side says that I’ve said anything that is not true, they should provide the counter evidence.”
He said the Dormaa East MP’s address is a clear indication that he did not peruse the published documents. He added that such individuals make false claims with the intention of discrediting the messenger.
Mr. Ablakwa expects the government to respond to the issue by outlining reasons for approving the deal and why such an amount should be spent on the ambulance spare parts.
Also, he is demanding a breakdown of the approval relative to the parts required.
“It’s really shocking that Ghana will be the only country in this world to be spending a whopping US$113,000 on just spare parts. I will like to see a breakdown of those spare parts. This is scandalous.”
Meanwhile, the North Tongu MP, in his latest post on X (formerly Twitter), has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor regarding the scandal.
Source: myjoyonline.com
