Spokesperson of the Local Organising Committee for the 2023 African Games, Dan Kwaku Yeboah, has dismissed Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s recent disclosures regarding the government’s budget and planned expenditures for the event as politically motivated.
Yeboah, who expressed his admiration for Ablakwa in the past, suggested that the latter’s allegations were driven by partisan interests, particularly in favor of the National Democratic Congress.
During an interview on Neat FM, Yeboah did not dispute Ablakwa’s figures but criticised the political narrative accompanying them.
He argued that Ablakwa’s analysis was oversimplified, particularly regarding the $48 million budget allocated for operational expenses, which Yeboah clarified to cover expenses before and after the 18-day event period.
Yeboah emphasised the need to consider expenses beyond the competition dates in understanding the budget’s scope accurately.
“Some of the claims he made are due to the season we find ourselves in. The intelligent Okudzeto, I know, wouldn’t make that analysis on a regular day. The LOC was formed in October 2020, so if you calculate our expenses based on just the 18 days the tournament will be held, then you are being too simplistic. Per his calculation, we are going to spend GH₵33.4m per day. If you convert to the old currency, it is 33 billion cedis daily. Are we going to kill cows every day at the LOC?” he asked.
Dan Kwaku Yeboah also reminded Ghanaians of the cost-intensive nature of putting together a tournament like the African Games.
He highlighted some things that contributed to the budget that Okudzeto Ablakwa described as elephantine.
“We need to understand that African games are expensive. Unlike FIFA and CAF, who give you money to host their tournaments, the African Union rather takes money from you for winning the rights to host their tournaments.
“We are hosting 29 disciplines, and we have to buy equipment for all athletes who will be partaking in all 29 disciplines. According to WADA, Ghana doesn’t have a standard laboratory for anti-doping, so all the doping tests that will be conducted during the competition will be finalised in Switzerland,” he added.