I attended birthday party of NHIA Boss despite restrictions - Agyeman-Manu

The minister-designate for Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has admitted to Parliament's Appointments Committee that he partook in a gathering that undermined the coronavirus restrictions that were in place last year when he attended a birthday party.

Responding to a question posed to him by the Member of Parliament for Asawase, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, on whether he attended a party during the period when restrictions on social gatherings were in force, he said he did attend such an event.

However, he stated that the event had not more than 10 people and besides, it did not flout the president's directive on gatherings.

Here is a transcript of the engagements, starting with the question from Muntaka, and followed by Agyemang-Manu's response, and in that order.

"I want to find out from the nominee, was he anywhere around June 2020, at the birthday of the CEO of the Health Insurance Authority?"

"Yes"

"Do you remember that around that June, there was restriction on gatherings, parties, churches, mosques?"

"Yes."

"And as a Minister for Health, you were in a birthday party?"

"It was a restricted - a seriously restricted engagement. I wouldn't call it a party."

"How many people were there?"

"The number there was less than 10 and I think for the restrictions, these gatherings were allowed."

"Mr. Minister, were you sure you were less than 10 or around 10 people who were in that party?"

"I'm very sure. If you have any other number, I wouldn't know where you got the number from."