Documents of Proof: How $3 million African Games coverage money was disbursed

Documents that have emerged online have revealed details of how the Youth and Sports Ministry spent over $3 million on the coverage of the 13th African Games.

In the documents sighted by GhanaWeb, payments were made to 6 different companies including PSG, Quality Media Production S.L, The Production Room (TPR), Silicon Productions, GBC 24 hr African Games Channel (Support), and Positive Communication.

The document appears to be a payment memo signed by the director-general of GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan.

PSG earned 2,056,534 euros, $1 million was paid to Quality Media Production S.L, The Production Room (TPR) made 57,000 euros, Silicon Productions received $165,000, GBC 24 hr African Games Channel was paid $105,000, while $20,000 was spent on positive communication.

Contrary to the payment memo revealed today, August 21, 2024, the GBC, in their statement to the Public Account Committee (PAC) debunking the Sports Ministry's claim that $3 million was paid to them, noted there were three outsourced companies included in the deal, namely, PSG, Quality Media Production S.L, and The Production Room (TPR).

Background

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, during his appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), claimed that his ministry paid an excess of $3 million to GBC for the coverage of the 13th African Games.

Contrary to the Minister's claim, Professor Amin Alhassan, Director-General of GBC, denied receiving the aforementioned amount, indicating that the state broadcaster earned $105,000.

“I want to state that GBC’s total benefit from the African Games was $105,000. Nothing more was paid to GBC,” he said in an interview with Uniq FM.

Prof. Alhassan's denial triggered a response from the Youth and Sports Ministry.

In a statement released on Tuesday, August 21, 2024, the Ministry of Youth and Sports offered details of the African Games broadcast rights deal with GBC, indicating that the agreement amounted to $3.6 million.

The Ministry cited that a sum of $2.5 million was paid to GBC in two instalments, while $1 million was paid to a third party upon the instructions of GBC.

"From the total amount, $2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two tranches: $1 million and $1.5 million on March 13, 2024, and May 22, 2024, respectively. Another amount of $1 million was paid to third parties upon the instructions of GBC, in accordance with the contract," the release explained.

 

Here is GBC's statement to PAC

Below is GBC's payment memo for the coverage released today