The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has confirmed that no payment has been made to the Service Ghana Auto Group for ambulance spare parts.
According to a highly placed source at the central bank, the BoG has established a letter of credit (LC) amounting to $10 million in favour of the Service Ghana Auto Group. Still, it has yet to be paid due to the absence of a formal demand.
However, this confirmation stands in stark contrast to the allegations made by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu. Ablakwa had claimed that the government had already disbursed the $10 million to Service Ghana Auto Group, and he accused the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, of approving the deal hastily just days before his removal from office.
The Ministry of Health has also weighed in on the issue, clarifying that the contract for the provision of after-sales service and maintenance for 307 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 315 CDI ambulances was originally signed by the now-defunct Ministry of Special Development Initiatives. The Health Ministry stated that Ofori-Atta acted on the request of the Health Ministry after the dissolution of the Special Development Initiatives Ministry. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health reiterated the BoG’s statement, confirming that no payments have been made to Service Ghana Auto Group.
The Ministry also addressed reports suggesting a $34.9 million payment, affirming that this amount has not been disbursed. The Ministry reiterated its unwavering commitment to maintaining a sustainable maintenance regime for the National Ambulance Service fleet, with the aim of ensuring reliable and efficient emergency medical services across the country.
Read the full statement from the Health Ministry below:
