Millenium Marathon winners yet to receive prizes eight months after event

Despite the pomp and funfair that has accompanied the Millennium Marathon with high profile politocians gracing the event, Organizers of the 2016 Millennium Marathon event have succeeded in deceiving the general public as well as the participants.

Two Peugeot cars were presented to Ghanaian male and female athletes Sakat Lariba and Malik Yakubu in the full glare of the public but were retrieved post event with very flimsy excuses that were not made known to the participants before the event.

From September 2016 up to today, some winners of the event are biting their fingernails in regret for being part of the 2016 Millennium Marathon.

The worst part is the name of Ghana that is being dragged in the mud by foreign athletes who flew all the way from Kenya to partake in the event.

In a telephone conversation with an Accra based Radio Station, Edna Kimitei, a Kenyan female participant lamented that she feels shortchanged as her plane ticket cost was not even paid let alone his prize money of ($2,500) Gh10,000.

“I bought my own plane ticket and my prize money too was not paid.” “I need help to retrieve my prize.” Kimitei lamented. Lariba Sakat, a Ghanaian female athlete who won the top prize of Gh25, 000 (Twenty Five Thousand Ghana Cedis) and a brand new Peugeot car also narrated her ordeal:

“When we visited the Millennium Marathon office, myself and Malik (another winner) Mr. Ashin Morton, ( the main organizer) gave us an undertaken which stated that we were supposed to use the car for only a year and that anytime we were to travel outside Accra with the car, we needed to seek permission from him.

But we rejected it because I live in Bolgatanga, besides that was not the original agreement prior to the event.” “Before the event, we were told we will keep the cars for good.” Lariba said.

A military man, Raja Lagble, however warned Mr. Ashin Morton that he is being provoked beyond limit and that he could have resorted to his own means of retrieving his prize money of Gh5,000 but he has decided to be law abiding.

In a radio interview with Peace Fm, Mr Ashin Morton, the main organizer, could not categorically deny any of these claims but rather confessed that NIB Bank, one of the sponsors paid him Gh250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Cedis) but the rest of his sponsorship cheques could not go through albeit he was not specific as to which Sponsor’s cheque failed to clear.

Former Sports Minister Nii Lantey Vanderpuye and Mr Oko Vanderpuye were made to present keys of the Peugeot cars meant for the winners at the independence square on September 3, 2016 but were later retrieved by Mr. Ashin Morton behind the scene.

A source close to Ghana Sports reveals that the organisers are planning to organize another edition this year despite the bad image they have created for themselves as a result of their failure to honour promises made to some previous winners.