Josiah
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has provided additional clarity on the $3.6 million payment made to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) for the production and broadcasting rights of the 13th African Games.
In a statement, the ministry explained that GBC’s financial quotation of $3.6 million was considered the lowest and most reasonable option, as other proposals exceeded $6 million.
“We engaged GBC to serve as the official broadcaster for the Games, aiming to build local capacity and create a lasting legacy post-Games,” the statement noted.
The ministry further detailed that $2.5 million of the total amount was paid directly to GBC in two installments, while an additional $1 million was disbursed to third parties at GBC’s request, in line with the contractual agreement.
Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif emphasized the ministry’s commitment to transparency and accountability, stating, “As a public institution, we are dedicated to ensuring transparency and accountability in fulfilling our responsibilities.”
This clarification follows a dispute raised by GBC’s Director-General, who challenged the minister’s earlier claims about the payment amount.
GBC had denied receiving any excess payments for broadcasting the African Games, contrary to the statement made by Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif during a Public Accounts Committee session on Tuesday, August 20.
GBC’s Director-General, Prof. Amin Alhassan, expressed surprise at the claim that GBC was paid “in excess of three million US dollars,” clarifying that the corporation was only entitled to $105,000.
Prof. Alhassan also explained that GBC had outsourced technical production to external companies, including PGS, Quality Media Production S.L., and The Production Room (TPR), due to a lack of necessary equipment.
