The Minority is amplifying its demands for an audit of the expenses linked to the 2023 Africa Games, which Ghana hosted earlier this year.
This move comes in response to Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif’s acclaim of the games’ success without offering a comprehensive financial report.
Members of the Minority in Parliament, such as North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, have criticized the Minister for his failure to disclose the utilization of public funds.
Mr. Ablakwa stated that there hasn’t been a breakdown of the money’s usage, even though expenditures surpassed the approved budget.
“Why can’t we be told? Already we have raised concerns about the huge expenditure way beyond what this house approved. We know that $195 million was spent on infrastructure. We intercepted documents that revealed that they had budgeted to spend $48 million on so-called operational expenses.
“We have not less than 245 million US dollars for this whole hosting of events and committed close to $195 million for infrastructure development,” he said.
Minority leader, Cassiel Ato Forson said, “We know for sure $15 million was allocated to a company called M and L Company Limited for 18 days of feeding.”
“That amounts to 226 million cedis for 18 days. You cannot come here and deliver a statement without accounting for $15 million for 18 days. This is public money.”
Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasized that the constitution stipulates that accounting for public fund usage necessitates time.
“What it means that after the event, you cannot say that within two weeks or three weeks, the minister should be able to come before this house and explain everything. The minority leader fortunately is an accountant and he understands these things.”
Yet, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin argued that the Minority Leader’s call for an audit at this juncture is unwarranted.
“They have finished their work. Instead of commending the minister for a good job that you want to use the opportunity to critique and say things that are not factual.”
In the meantime, the Minister of Youth and Sports has pledged to provide a detailed financial account of all expenses incurred during the games.
“We are not hiding anything. I want that clarity to be made. Every cedi is going to be accounted for. Be rest assured. Rather you should congratulate team Ghana, because so far we have not seen the minority issue any statement in congratulating the sportsmen and women who fought very hard in lifting the flag of the country very high. Neither did the leadership of the majority or even the ranking member or even the committee for the sports.”