Ministry of Youth and Sports has provided a detailed explanation 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.

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This clarification follows controversy sparked by remarks made by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session on Monday, August 19, 2024.

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During the PAC session, the sports minister claimed that the Ministry had disbursed over $3 million to GBC for its production and broadcasting services for the Games.

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This statement was made in response to concerns raised by MP Samuel Nartey George of Ningo Prampram about unpaid debts to technical staff involved in the event.

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In contrast, GBC's Director-General, Prof. Amin Alhassan, publicly disputed the Minister’s claim, stating that GBC had only received $105,000, which was allocated to support the broadcaster's decision to dedicate a channel to the African Games, thus suspending regular programming on GTV Sports Plus.

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In response to this discrepancy, the Ministry of Youth and Sports issued a press release on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, outlining the financial arrangements with GBC in detail.

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The Ministry explained that multiple proposals for the production and broadcasting rights of the 13th African Games were reviewed, with some exceeding $6 million, which was considered excessive.

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To build local capacity and ensure a lasting legacy, the Ministry chose GBC as the official broadcaster. This decision was partly due to GBC’s lower financial quotation compared to other proposals.

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"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.

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"Some organisations submitted proposals in excess of $6 million, which the Ministry deemed excessive."

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The Ministry clarified that the total agreed payment for GBC's services amounted to $3.6 million. Of this total, $2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two installments: $1 million on March 13, 2024, and $1.5 million on May 22, 2024.

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The remaining $1 million was paid directly to third-party service providers based on GBC's instructions, as outlined in the contractual agreement.

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"From the total amount, $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. Another amount of $1 million was paid to third parties upon the instructions of GBC, in accordance with the contract," the release explained.

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

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