The Auditor-General has recommended that Mustapha Ussif, the former Minister for Youth and Sports, be held accountable for the recovery of GHS 579 million associated with Ghana’s hosting of the 13th Africa Games.
This recommendation comes after a forensic audit revealed extensive financial irregularities in the event’s organization.
Former Chief Director William Kartey and former Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, who auditors frequently connected to significant cost centers of the Games’ delivery, are also mentioned in the recovery suggestion.
President John Dramani Mahama ordered the audit in 2025, and it revealed evidence of cost inflation, unsubstantiated payments, undelivered items, and contractual violations in the areas of infrastructure, administrative spending, transportation, catering, lodging, and equipment purchases.
The Auditor-General suggested that the three officials be held jointly accountable for the recovery of GHS 579,114,352.24, coupled with $44,354,881.77 and €629,070, even though it did not make any criminal findings.
Prof. Amin Alhassan, Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, was also mentioned in a different reference regarding a broadcast training contract related to the Games.
The audit discovered anomalies in almost every area of the continental multi-sport event’s spending, pointing to a pattern of unsubstantiated transactions and systematic cost increases.
The main conclusions were $840,000 in inflated lodging costs, €572,040 in overpricing of anti-doping services, and $2.8 million in non-feeding costs contained in catering contracts without sufficient documentation.
Along with payments for sporting equipment that were either undeliverable or lacked the necessary specifications, auditors also discovered anomalies connected to transportation and logistics totalling more than GHS 30 million.
Other issues included GHS 12 million in infrastructural flaws at important locations including the Aquatic Center and Legon Stadium, as well as GHS 15.09 million in unrelated payments.
Auditors found over GHS 468 million in unjustified variations, exaggerated claims, and contract deviations in key engineering and construction contracts for the Borteyman Sports Complex, University of Ghana Stadium, and Legon Sports Village. These were the most notable abnormalities.
The Auditor-General stated that the results indicate widespread financial irregularities throughout the Games’ entire delivery chain and suggested that the designated officials be fully reimbursed for the amounts that were identified.
Source: newsthemegh.com