Mr Mustapha Ussif, former Minister of Sports, has fiercely refuted allegations of financial misconduct following a forensic audit study on the 13th African Games hosted by Ghana from March 8-23, 2024, stating that he bears no responsibility for any of the errors cited.
“My attention has been drawn to the release of an audit report, which report is titled; Comprehensive Audit Report on the 13th African Games, Accra 2023.”
“The said report, I understand attributes various irregularities to me. I, however, deny being responsible for any such irregularities, if any at all,” he stated in a statement.
Mr. Ussif, who is currently Yagaba-Kubori’s member of parliament, also stated that he will have more time to publicly address the conclusions when the report is brought before Parliament. He insisted that due process should enable those included in the study to defend themselves.
“It is my understanding that the report of the audit will be presented to Parliament and persons who may have answers to findings will be invited to respond accordingly,” he contined.
“Therefore, I look forward to the opportunity to respond to all the claims of impropriety in the said report.”
According to reports, President John Dramani Mahama’s forensic examination of Ghana’s hosting of the 13th African Games revealed several financial irregularities, inflated contracts, unsubstantiated payments, and violations of procurement laws affecting hundreds of millions of cedis.
The 2023 African Games project was beset by systematic procurement failures, dubious contract awards, and lax financial controls, according to the 700-page report that the Auditor-General developed and presented to Parliament.
Over GH¢208 million in outstanding liabilities and GH¢580 million in irregularities were found by auditors.
In response to a request from the Office of the President dated October 22, 2025, the special audit was carried out under Section 16 of the Audit Service Act, with reference to AG.SAR/2026/03 and signed by Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah-Asiedu.
It looked at every facet of the Games, including post-event asset management, broadcasting, lodging, transportation, infrastructure delivery, and procurement.
The report states that government releases, sponsorships, and participation fees raised and spent a total of GH¢2.24 billion.
However, auditors claimed that a number of payments lacked supporting records or proof of services provided.
Recommendations for sanctions and recovery measures frequently referenced three former officials: former Local Organising Committee Chairman Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, former Chief Director William Kartey, and former Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif.
An alleged overpayment connected to a sports equipment contract given to Delovely Company Limited was one of the main conclusions.
According to the study, even though the Ministry paid GH¢38.9 million under the agreement, $206,000 worth of equipment was never delivered, and an extra $408,000 charge had no supporting documentation or specifications.
The contract was exaggerated by almost GH¢4.5 million, according to the auditors’ findings.
Even though auditors discovered that JDK Travel and Tours merely functioned as an intermediary and lacked the necessary licensing, the company was paid $1.58 million to offer lodging services.
Market research revealed that hotel rates under the contract were much higher than going rates, leading to an estimated GH¢10.1 million in inflation.
The same business was also charged with using exorbitant prices and unjustified billing to inflate branding and transportation contracts by more than GH17 million.
Another significant discovery made by auditors was that 14 lump-sum service contracts totalling GH336.6 million were paid without sufficient documentation to verify the actual services provided. These contracts covered lodging, catering, transportation, anti-doping services, and air travel.
Passenger manifests, transport logs, food registrations, and testing records—all crucial supporting documentation—were either missing or insufficient.
Along with expenditures unrelated to the Games, including financial disbursements connected to the Black Stars national football team, the audit also discovered GH¢20.4 million in allegedly questionable cash withdrawals from Local Organising Committee accounts.
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, a state broadcaster, also faced criticism for poor contract management and procurement violations.
Despite the lack of proof that any training had really occurred, the auditors discovered that a €57,000 training contract had been fully paid.
According to the research, inadequate broadcast management could result in revenue losses of around GH¢60 million.
Serious structural flaws were found in a number of facilities, notably the University of Ghana Stadium and the Aquatic Centre, during physical examinations of the Games infrastructure. The auditors calculated that corrective actions would require at least $1 million.
The audit also highlighted the widespread use of single-source procurement, which violates procurement norms by awarding contracts worth about GH¢2.7 billion without supporting documentation.
Auditors cautioned that Ghana’s capacity to host or take part in the African Games could be jeopardised by improper management of post-Games assets and unfulfilled commitments under agreements with the African Union Commission.
The Auditor-General urged the government to pursue reforms and recover misappropriated monies after concluding that the anomalies were “structural deficiencies in institutional control environments” rather than individual administrative errors.
Source: newsthemegh.com