Ato Forson trial: Ambulances were procured, but not delivered – Health Minister Agyemang-Manu

The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, mounted the witness box to testify as the third prosecution witness in the case against former Deputy Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, and two others.

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and two others; Dr. Sylvester Anemana and businessman, Richard Jakpa have been charged by the state for causing financial loss, over the importation of 200 ambulances in a contract between the Ministry of Health and a Dubai-based company in 2012.

Testifying before the Court, Mr. Ageymang-Manu said as Chairman of the Transition Committee on Health after the 2016 elections, he noticed that ambulances were supposedly procured by the Ministry of Health, but had not been delivered.

The Health Minister also tendered in documents to support his assertion. 

These included a proposal from businessman Richard Jakpa to the Ministry of Health for the supply of 200 ambulances and a letter from Cabinet to Ministers of Health and Finance at the time, seeking approval for a €15.8 million loan facility from Stanbic Bank Ghana. 

The documents presented to the Court also included a request from the two Ministries for Parliamentary approval, and a letter from the Ministry of Health signed by Seth Anemana, to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). 

Mr. Ageymang-Manu explained that the letter addressed to the PPA sought approval to single-source the procurement of the ambulances to Big Sea General Limited.

He further told the Court that although documents stated that Big Sea General Trading arranged the funding for the project, “there is no evidence that shows that the arrangement for the funding was done by Big Sea.”

The trial has been adjourned to July 5, 2022, where the Health Minister is expected to continue with his testimony.