Minority chases Sports Minister to provide detailed account of GH¢58million World Cup expenditure

The Minority Caucus in Parliament is demanding a comprehensive, line-by-line account of how the GH¢58 million released by the government to support Ghana’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup was spent.

The Caucus is also calling on the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and other institutions involved in the campaign to account for all funds received from FIFA, including monies received for preparations and activities associated with the tournament.

It further wants a full reconciliation of all financial contributions made by corporate entities and private individuals towards the Black Stars’ World Cup campaign.

“Publish a complete reconciliation of all corporate and private contributions received for the Black Stars campaign and how the funds were utilised,” it demanded.

Transparency and accountability
Addressing a press conference in Parliament, the Ranking Member of the Youth and Sports Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, said the demand for detailed financial disclosure was aimed at ensuring transparency in the management of both public and privately sourced funds committed to the national team.

He also called for the publication of comprehensive details on the mobilisation of supporters, including the number of people facilitated to travel, the criteria used in their selection and the total cost of the exercise.

Mr Assafuah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, demanded a reconciliation of the reported 3,000 World Cup tickets purchased for Ghana, including details of tickets allocated, used, unused, transferred or resold.

“Publish a complete reconciliation of the 3,000 reported World Cup tickets purchased, including tickets allocated, used, unused, transferred or resold and investigate the reported ticketing irregularities and allegations of ticket resale,” he demanded.

Call for detailed expenditure breakdown

Mr Assafuah said the Minister for Sports and Recreation, who appeared before the Youth and Sports Committee on Thursday, September 17, had provided explanations regarding the reported GH¢58 million expenditure.

He said, however, that questions remained unanswered, particularly concerning operational expenses incurred during the tournament.

According to the explanation provided by the Minister, Black Stars players received $100,000 each as appearance fees, totalling approximately $2.6 million. Payments to the technical team and other officials, including honoraria and per diems, reportedly brought total expenditure to $4,670,339 from the $5 million advance.

Mr Assafuah said the figures provided did not amount to a comprehensive account of the expenditure and called for a detailed breakdown covering flights, accommodation, internal transportation, laundry, training camps, logistics, catering, security and tickets.

“We acknowledge these figures but where is the detailed breakdown of the expenditure on flights, accommodation, internal transportation, laundry, training camps, logistics, catering, security, tickets and other operational expenses?

“For example, the GFA draft budget reportedly allocated $15,000 for laundry and $38,000 for internal transportation, but what was actually spent and who provided these services?” he asked.

He also demanded details of contracts entered into for the various services, the applicable rates and the amounts ultimately paid.

Mr Assafuah said that if the government had provided details of payments made to players and members of the technical team, the same level of disclosure should apply to all other expenses incurred during the World Cup campaign.

“We are not questioning the entitlement of the players or technical team to their approved payments, but we are questioning the absence of a comprehensive, line-by-line account of the operational expenses.

“This is because Ghanaians deserve to know how the entire $5 million advance, approximately GH¢58 million, was utilised, down to the last dollar,” he said.

Minority demands account of donations
The Ranking Member also raised concerns about financial contributions reportedly made by individuals and corporate organisations to support the Black Stars shortly before the World Cup.

He listed reported contributions from Ibrahim Mahama of Engineers and Planners ($2 million), Shatta Wale ($100,000), Stonebwoy ($101,000), Ghana Gas (GH₵5,000,000), GCB Bank PLC (GH₵5,000,000), Ecobank Ghana Limited (GH₵3,000,000) and Gold Fields Ghana ($2,000,000), among others.

“The total of the contributions/promises made in dollars is $7,516,000, and that of the cedis is GH₵33,080,000, with the total of corporate contributions in cedis standing at GH₵115,756,000.

“These contributions cannot simply disappear into a general pool without accountability,” he said.

Mr Assafuah demanded a complete reconciliation showing every contribution received, the date each payment was made, the account into which the money was deposited and the institution or individual responsible for receiving the funds.

“If private individuals and corporate Ghana supported the national team with millions of cedis and dollars, Ghanaians have a legitimate interest in knowing how those resources were used,” he said.

Questions over supporter mobilisation
Mr Assafuah also questioned the government’s decision to facilitate the travel of supporters to the tournament.

He said prior to the World Cup, Ghanaians had been informed that the government would not undertake mass transportation of supporters because a significant Ghanaian population was already based in the United States and Canada.

He said, however, that the government eventually facilitated the travel of 431 supporters, with the associated costs reportedly covering some air tickets, match tickets, internal transportation, accommodation and stipends.

“The Sports Ministry must publish the criteria used to select these supporters and the total expenditure associated with the exercise,” he said.

Call for NSA Director-General to step aside

The Old Tafo MP also raised concerns over reports that the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) and some staff had appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for questioning in connection with an alleged fraudulent World Cup visa-facilitation arrangement.

He stressed that the Minority was not prejudging the investigation or declaring anyone guilty before the facts had been established.

However, Mr Assafuah argued that where the head of a state institution was being questioned by the police over allegations connected to activities reportedly undertaken within or around the institution, the official should step aside while investigations continued.

“We therefore call on the President to dismiss the Director-General of the National Sports Authority with immediate effect, or, at the very least, require him to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation,” he said.