Govt blows GH¢160m five months after competition - Okudzeto Ablakwa reveals

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that the government spent a staggering GH¢160 million in relation to the African Games, five months after the competition ended.

According to him, the said amount was spent between May and July 2024, with monies being paid in four tranches.

The lawmaker, in a social media post backed with 'intercepted documents,' further disclosed that the finance ministry released a whopping GH¢460 million for the event's closing ceremony, which he claims is more than the actual fund approved by Parliament.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa's revelation comes on the back of a $3 million broadcast rights saga between the Sports Ministry and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation for the Games.

The Ministry claimed they paid the aforementioned amount to GBC to broadcast the games, while GBC, in response, denied receiving the said amount, insisting that they earned $105,000.

Read Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa's full statement below

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So far, a staggering GH₵168,386,331.00 has been withdrawn in the last few weeks, long after the games.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 haemorrhage 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.