Following Failure to Account for $3m African Games Funds Questions surround the whereabouts of over US$3 million that the Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, is unable to justify as payment for broadcasting during the African Games.
Investigations revealed that since the conclusion of the Games in March 2024, Minister Ussif has been making significant withdrawals under the guise of expenses related to the sporting event.
Details disclosed by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, expose that Mustapha Ussif withdrew a staggering GHS168,386,331.00 post the Africa Games.
According to Ablakwa, financial documents obtained indicate that despite the closure of the 13th African Games on March 23, 2024, funds continued to be withdrawn from state coffers by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government under the pretext of the Games.
A breakdown provided by the MP illustrates that on May 17, 2024, four days after the Games’ conclusion, an enormous GHS70,000,000.00 was disbursed to the Sports Ministry as “Payment for 13th African Games” followed by another GHS30,000,000.00 on July 3, 2024, under a similar pretext.
Additional transactions on July 16, 2024, totaling GHS30,000,000.00 and GHS38,386,331.00, were made to the Sports Ministry also marked as “Payment for 13th African Games”.
Ablakwa criticized these suspicious releases, highlighting that the Finance Ministry had already allocated over GHS460 million before the Games’ conclusion, surpassing Parliament’s approved budget.
Despite multiple invitations from Parliament to clarify these financial discrepancies, the Sports Minister remains evasive, but Ablakwa warns that accountability is inevitable for Ussif.
Furthermore, Mustapha Ussif faces scrutiny over the mismanagement of over US$3.4 million earmarked for media organizations that broadcasted the 13th African Games.
Conflicting statements arose when the Minister claimed the funds were disbursed to GBC, but GBC reported receiving only US$105,000. This financial debacle was first brought to light by MP for Ningo Prampram, Hon. Sam George, as media outlets voiced grievances regarding outstanding payments.
Discrepancies between the released funds and GBC’s revealed receipts point to Ussif’s unexplained handling of over US$3.4 million.