Ashaiman MP sues gov’t, Zipline for sole sourcing $12.5m drone deal
The Ashaiman Parliamentarian has sued government for sole sourcing a $12.5 million agreement for medical deliveries via drones, to Fly Zipline Ghana Limited.
According to Ernest Henry Norgbey, operators of the service, Fly Zipline who have also been joined to the suit, were not the only company providing the service at the time they were awarded the contract.
The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, entered into a service agreement with Fly Zipline, which was subsequently approved by Parliament on December 11, 2018.
Fly Zipline are supposed to deliver blood products, medicines, vaccines and other products to health facilities in the country using drones.
In the $12.5 million contract, Fly Zipline is expected to be running over 150 flights per day from each of its four distribution centres.
Last week at a Town Hall Meeting, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia announced that operations will start later this month, at the first facility at Omenako, in the Eastern Region.
But Mr. Norgbey believes “government has the obligation to do due diligence and survey the market to ascertain that a company is the only supplier or service provider before using single sourcing method of procurement.”
He adds that “government is fixed with notice of the presence of the companies in the market providing the service if government did not do due diligence or survey the market before embarking on single sourcing method of procurement.”
The Ashaiman MP is, therefore, seeking that the court invalidates the service agreement between government and Zipline as it is “illegal and therefore void.”
Source: Myjoyonline