Convener of the Forum for Accountable Governance, Kwame Owusu Danso, has formally requested the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to initiate a detailed investigation into the financial management of the 13th All African Games. The event, which took place from March 4 to March 23, 2024, saw an expenditure of $245 million.
Danso and his group have raised significant concerns about transparency and accountability in the handling of the funds, alleging potential issues such as procurement breaches, conflicts of interest, and other forms of corruption. They are calling for a thorough review to ensure that every dollar was spent appropriately.
Following the petition, Danso expressed his trust in the OSP’s ability to conduct an impartial investigation. He stated, “I have complete confidence in the Office of the Special Prosecutor. As law-abiding citizens, we trust that if the investigation finds no corruption, then the matter will be resolved. My conscience will be clear, knowing I have fulfilled my duty for the people of this country.”
In a related development, on August 19, 2024, the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Prof. Amin Alhassan, disputed claims made by the Sports Ministry regarding GBC’s financial compensation for its coverage of the All African Games. During a Public Accounts Committee session, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif had claimed that GBC received over $3 million for its coverage. This statement was made in response to concerns about unpaid debts to technical staff who worked on the games.
Prof. Alhassan countered these claims, stating that GBC had actually received only $105,000. This amount was provided to support the broadcaster’s decision to dedicate an entire channel to the Games, which required suspending regular programming on GTV Sports Plus.