Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has advocated for the halt of all budgetary allocations to the Black Stars.
This suspension, he suggests, should pave the way for an impartial forensic audit of the expenditures related to their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Ablakwa emphasised that this suspension of financial allocations should extend to the current efforts to seek a new head coach, replacing Chris Hughton.
The call for an independent forensic audit reflects concerns about the transparency and accountability of the funds allocated to the national football team during the AFCON tournament.
“It is clear to me that the only way out of this grand mess is to immediately curtail any further expenditure on the Black Stars, including that ill-advised, rushed and misguided search for a new coach, and to urgently commission an independent forensic audit.
“Parliament must also assert its constitutional oversight authority when the House resumes. These outlandish breakdowns, illegalities and insulting opacity must be probed and sanctioned; we cannot afford to let the people down.”
His unwavering stance follows his interception of letters purportedly from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Finance Minister, and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department detailing the expenditure of the Black Stars during their unsuccessful AFCON campaign in Cote d’Ivoire.
On Monday, the lawmaker shared a letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports to the Finance Ministry, requesting a substantial amount of US$8 million as a budget, causing public outcry.
Subsequently, on January 30, he released two documents claiming to confirm payments of the requested amount. One document, supposedly from the Minister for Finance to the Controller and Accountant General, instructed the release of a partial payment of US$5,071,840.36, equivalent to GHS60,306,717.80, out of the budgeted US$8,506,450.00.
The document detailed expenses, including GHS15.3 million for the Black Stars’ preparation days before AFCON, GHS14 million for air transport and per diem, GHS14 million for provision for Group stage bonuses, and GHS2.1 million for honorarium.
A bank transfer advice from the Controller and Accountant General confirmed the release of funds to the Ministry of Sports.
Ablakwa also alleged the existence of a separate budget for the supporters of the Black Stars, further adding to the controversy surrounding the team’s financial management.
“Deep throat sources inform me that the budget was managed by National Security. Nothing will stop us from demanding full accountability on this too,” he noted.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) reacted to the publication of the budget by the legislator, calling it cheap politics.
“He should concentrate on his job of passing bills in Parliament and stop engaging in small, cheap politics in football. It is not the best,” Nana Oduro Sarfo, an Executive Council member of the GFA is quoted as saying by JoyNews.