Brazil 2014 blues: Afriyie-Ankrah et al named in ‘kickback’ scandal

Reports in the media indicates an alleged payment of 'kickbacks' from E-Volution International to former Minister of Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, the Operations Committee of the Brazil 2014 and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

According to Joy News, E-Volution International, an events and marketing agency, was awarded a GH¢ 1 million contract to organise four public viewing centres in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi during the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

But apart from the Accra Mall, the other three public viewing centres showed only the three group matches Ghana played in the tournament.

The investigations revealed three separate internal payment vouchers was approved for payment of money to former Youth and Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, the GNPC and the operations committee of the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

All the three payment vouchers, dated June 11, 2014, are signed and approved by the C.E.O of E-volution International, Mr Fred Darko. Mr Fred Darko was also the project coordinator for the 2014 World Cup.

According to one of the vouchers, an amount of GH¢100,000 was to be paid to Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah as 'production cost (Brazil -2014)'. Below the signatures on the payment voucher is an instruction to the Company's accountant, Alfred: 'Pls deal as PR to Elvis A. Ankrah. FD.'

Another payment voucher of GH¢100,000 with the same description was to be paid to the World Cup Committee. Below the signatures of approval is an instruction to Alfred: 'This is honorarium to Brazil 2014 committee members. Pls deal. FD.'

The final internal payment voucher, also dated June 11, 2014, approves payment of GH¢80,000 as 'PR-GNPC (Brazil 2014)' to the GNPC.

The Joy News' investigations further revealed that the GNPC cheque of GH¢1million was paid into E-Volution International account on June 9, 2014.

It was paid with a National Investment Bank (NIB) cheque number: 076597. The payment was made into E-volution International Account number 0001124057015 with the Airpot Branch of UT Bank.

On 10th June, 2014, the GH¢100,000 supposedly paid to Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah was withdrawn from the company's account. On June 12th, the GH¢80,000 allegedly paid to the GNPC was withdrawn from the company's account while the GH¢100,000 allegedly paid to the committee was also withdrawn from E-Volution International's account on June 13th.

Joy News sources say the GNPC awarded the contract to E-Volution International without subjecting it to competitive bidding.

The Chairman of the Brazil 2014 Operations Committee, Mr Joel Nettey, told Manasseh Azure Awuni last Friday that the committee found it difficult to find sponsorship for public viewing centres and was about to abandon the idea when the GNPC stepped in with the sponsorship package.

He said though event organizers such as the Charter House Productions expressed interest in organizing the public viewing centres, officials of GNPC said they would sponsor if only the contract was awarded to E-Volution International. The GNPC officials, Joel Nettey said, explained that E-Volution International was already doing business with GNPC.

It is not clear why E-Volution would want to pay money to then Youth and Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, the GNPC and the Brazil 2014 World Cup Committee. Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah has, however, denied receiving any such amount from E-Volution International.

Credit: Myjoyonline.com