Sports ministry clarifies matters on Africa Games & GBC contract

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has issued a detailed clarification regarding the payment made to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) for its role as the official broadcaster of the 13th African Games held in Accra earlier this year.

This comes in the wake of a controversy sparked by comments made by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session on Monday, August 19, 2024.

At the PAC sitting, the sports minister stated that the Ministry had paid GBC in excess of $3 million for its production and broadcasting services for the Games. This assertion was made in response to a question posed by MP for for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, who raised concerns over unpaid debts to technical staff who worked on the event.

However, the Director-General of GBC, Prof. Amin Alhassan has publicly refuted the Minister’s claim, stating that GBC had only received $105,000, which was intended as support for the broadcaster’s decision to dedicate an entire channel to the African Games, suspending normal programming on GTV Sports Plus.

In response to this apparent discrepancy, the Ministry of Youth and Sports issued a press release on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, providing a comprehensive breakdown of the financial arrangements made with GBC.

According to the Ministry, several proposals were received from various stakeholders concerning the production and broadcasting rights for the 13th African Games. Some of these proposals, the Ministry noted, were in excess of $6 million, which was deemed excessive. In an effort to build local capacity and leave a lasting legacy after the Games, the Ministry opted to engage GBC as the official broadcaster. The decision was also influenced by the fact that GBC’s financial quotation was the lowest among the proposals received.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports, through the Local Organising Committee, received proposals from various stakeholders for the production and broadcasting rights for the 13th African Games,” the press release stated. “Some organisations submitted proposals in excess of $6 million, which the Ministry deemed excessive.”

The Ministry clarified that the total agreed amount for GBC’s services was $3.6 million. Out of this, $2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two tranches, $1 million on March 13, 2024, and $1.5 million on May 22, 2024. The remaining $1 million was paid directly to third-party service providers, as per the instructions of GBC, in accordance with the contractual agreement.

“From the total amount, $2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two tranches: $1 million and $1.5 million on March 13, 2024, and May 22, 2024, respectively. Another amount of $1 million was paid to third parties upon the instructions of GBC, in accordance with the contract,” the release explained.

This, the Ministry emphasized its commitment to transparency and accountability, noting that all financial transactions were conducted with the highest level of integrity.