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The government has given the Ministry of Health GHC7.4 million to clear commodities from the Global Fund that were held up at the Tema port.
On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer issued a statement that included this information.
The announcement was made just a day after the administration was given a 24-hour ultimatum by the Minority Caucus in Parliament to clear the goods that had sat at the port for more than a year.
These life-saving medical supplies were given to Ghana at no cost by the Global Fund for Community Foundation; nonetheless, it has taken the government and the Ministry of Health more than a year to process the donation.
The taxes, levies, and port fees for the clearing of the goods, which were projected to be worth US$3.6 million, are the only expenses that the Ghanaian government must pay.
The Ministry further stated that it obtained 283 containers of “various commodities” through the Tema port from the Global Fund.
By the end of June 2024, the Health Ministry said it would clear the remaining containers after receiving government financial approval.
“The Ministry of Health has now received an amount of GHC7,429,694.39 from the Ministry of Finance for the payment demurrage for the clearance of all Global Fund outstanding containers at the T According to the Ministry, this amount is expected to complement the payment of third-party charges as outlined above.
“It is expected that with the funds received, all outstanding containers will be cleared by the end of June 2024,” it added.
After several months of intense pressure for the government to ensure the clearance of the commodities, the statement said: “The Ministry of Health is pleased to announce it has received funds for clearance of locked-up Global Fund commodities currently held at the port, including TB medication.”
Read the full statement below:
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
