The Western Region Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Simon Ehomah, says the budget the sport-governing body presented for the Black Stars AFCON campaign is less than the GH¢8.5 million being peddled around.
He said even with the quoted amount, the Association was not in charge of disbursement and could not be held accountable for any expenditure.
Mr Ehomah was speaking on Onua TV‘s Agoro Fie on Tuesday, February 6 when he made this known.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on Monday, January 29 leaked an official request made to the Ministry of Finance by the Ministry of Youth and Sports for a total of $$8,506,450 for the Black Stars’ campaign for a fifth continental title.
A first tranche of $5,071,840.36 was initially requested as part payment.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker bemoaned such a huge amount when there were basic infrastructural challenges in the country.
But Mr Ehomah explained that there was an official of the Ministry who recorded every expenditure of the GFA in La Cote d’Ivoire.
“That official took record of every penny spent by the GFA during the AFCON,” he said in Twi.
“They did not give us cash. Therefore, if anybody needs accountability, they should go to the Sports Ministry.
“GFA knows nothing about it,” he insisted.
He added that the Sports Ministry is the appropriate body to be probed for a breakdown of the Black Stars budget, insisting that what was presented by the GFA for spending was woefully low.
He continued that even the initial plan to travel to South Africa for pre-tournament camping was cancelled while the team also failed to advance in the tournament, so in his estimation, a lot more would be left of the ‘low’ budget.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, is expected to be in Parliament to account for the expenditure and the performance of the Black Stars in La Cote d’Ivoire.
The team was knocked out in the group stage.
Ghana lost the first game by 2-1 to Cape Verde and drew 2-2 with Egypt and Mozambique.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh || Onua Sports