North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is raising serious concerns about the government’s continued withdrawal of large sums of money from the national coffers in the name of the 13th African Games, even though the event ended months ago.
The games, which were held in Accra and concluded on March 23, 2024, have since been followed by significant financial transactions that Ablakwa finds troubling. According to him, a staggering GH¢168,386,331.00 has been withdrawn by the government for purposes related to the African Games long after the event concluded.
Ablakwa provided specific details of these withdrawals:
- On May 17, 2024, GH¢70,000,000.00 was released to the Sports Ministry under the description “Payment for 13th African Games.”
- On July 3, 2024, another GH¢30,000,000.00 was withdrawn for the same purpose.
- On July 16, 2024, two separate transactions occurred on the same day: GH¢30,000,000.00 and GH¢38,386,331.00 were both released, again described as payments related to the 13th African Games.
These withdrawals come on top of more than GH¢460 million that had already been released by the Finance Ministry before the games even ended. Ablakwa notes that this amount far exceeds what Parliament initially approved for the event.
The MP is now calling on the government, particularly the Sports Ministry, to explain to Ghanaians what these additional funds are being used for, and when these ongoing payments will finally stop. He argues that this continued withdrawal of funds is unsustainable, especially when other crucial sectors are suffering from a lack of resources amidst worsening economic conditions.
Ablakwa also criticized the Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, for avoiding parliamentary accountability. He warned that the minister cannot continue to evade questions about these financial transactions forever and that his actions will eventually be scrutinized.
“This haemorrhage cannot continue when many sectors are being starved of resources as the economic conditions of Ghanaians deteriorate uncontrollably,” Ablakwa stated. “Sports minister Mustapha Ussif keeps running from parliamentary accountability, but let him know that his days are numbered.”
The public is now looking for answers, and the pressure is on the government to justify these significant post-tournament withdrawals. The situation raises important questions about transparency and financial management in the aftermath of large-scale national events like the African Games.
Source: Ghana Web
