Suspension of Deputy Sports Minister apt – Vanderpuije

The suspension of Deputy Minister for youth and sports Pious Enam Hadzide and the Acting Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) Robert Sarfo Mensah over issues surrounding Ghana’s participation in the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia, is a step in the right direction, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, MP for Ablekuma South, has said.

According to him, the issues have tarnished the image of Ghana on the international scene, a situation that makes the president’s intervention a good decision.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday 12 April 2018 suspended from office with immediate effect the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Hadzide and the Acting Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) Robert Sarfo Mensah.

The two were suspended following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of some 60 Ghanaians who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences in the ongoing 21st Commonwealth Games, a statement from the presidency explained.

The president of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr Ben Nunoo Mensah, the Board Chairman of the NSA Kwadwo Baah Agyemang and the chef-de-maison for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Mr Mohammed Shanoon have also been recalled from the games to assist in investigations currently being undertaken by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police service.

Commenting on this development on the Ghana Yensom show on Accra 100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Friday April 13, Mr Vaderpuije who is also a ranking member in the parliamentary select committee on Youth and Sports, said : “ The suspension of the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports and the others is in the right direction. Most of us are not happy about the developments that have characterised Ghana’s participation in the event, these issues have tarnished our image out there and it’s good the president acted this way.

“We however want the government to refer the investigations to the Youth and Sports Committee in parliament for us to ask critical questions.”