North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has detailed how the government allegedly spent over 160 million Ghana cedis in the name of the 2023 African Games, five months after the event ended.
There has been significant scrutiny over the government’s expenditure on the games held in Accra in March this year, with the Minority in Parliament consistently alleging that some funds were misappropriated.
Earlier this week, controversy arose after the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, informed the Public Accounts Committee that the government paid the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) over $3 million to broadcast the games. However, the GBC Director General later denied receiving such an amount.
Read Ablakwa’s full statement, published on social media, based on “intercepted documents”:
The 13th African Games ended in Accra as far back as March 23, 2024, however, intercepted financial documents reveal that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government continues to withdraw huge sums of money from our national coffers in the name of the games.
So far, a staggering GH₵168,386,331.00 has been withdrawn in the last few weeks, long after the games.
1) On May 17th, 2024 — GH₵70,000,000.00 was released to the Sports Ministry under a transaction description: Payment for 13th African Games;
2) On July 3rd, 2024 — GH₵30,000,000.00 was released to the Sports Ministry under a transaction description: Payment for 13th African Games;
3) On July 16th, 2024 — GH₵30,000,000.00 was released to the Sports Ministry under a transaction description: Payment for 13th African Games;
4) On July 16, 2024 — Additional same day release of GH₵38,386,331.00 to the Sports Ministry under the transaction description: Payment for 13th African Games.
These bizarre releases continue despite the Finance Ministry already releasing over GH₵460million before the closing ceremony — which is an amount far in excess of what Parliament approved.
The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government must immediately explain to Ghanaians what these humongous post tournament releases are being used for and exactly when the unending payments will stop.
This hemorrhage cannot continue when many sectors are being starved of resources as economic conditions of Ghanaians deteriorate uncontrollably.
Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif keeps running from parliamentary accountability but let him know that his days are numbered.