Sports Minister faces corruption charges

Sports Minister Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka Mohammed

Sports Minister Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka Mohammed is facing charges of financial malfeasance three months into his reign as a minister in the Atta Mills-led governement.

 
A financial report in the local media on Tuesday which was prepared by the principal accountant at ministry accused the minister of his shady and extravegant expenses.

Muntaka is accused of demanding huge sums amounting to several thousands of Ghana cedis for the Black Stars world cup qualifier against Mali at home in March and the CHAN tournament in Ivory Coast.

He is said to have travelled on a trip to the CHAN tourney with his girlfriend and charged the cost to his ministry, contrary to advice from his office.

The document states that he took $2000 as imprest to cater for hotel bills and other expenses at the tournament but made the imprest holder of this Sports Ministry pay for the expenses.

According to the document, while the minister claimed top guns of the ruling NDC government had paid $10,000 as landing charges for the aircraft which conveyed the government officials to the CHAN, he turned round to demand a refund of the amount from the ministry.

"The accountant released the money ($10,000) to him through the Chief Director. The minister could not produce receipt to date,'' the report claimed.

It continued that the minister had taken per diem of GH¢2,000 for the Ghana-Benin match in Kumasi "though he was told that his maximum per diem entitlement was GH¢1,120.

In what appeared to be the biggest transaction entered on the instruction of the minister, the document said Mr Mubarak had signed a covering letter to the Ministry of Finance demanding the release of a whopping GH¢1,410,051.58 to the National Sports Council (NSC) when the Office of the Chief of Staff had not been consulted.

The report also mentioned the minister to have personally arranged accommodation and feeding expenses of the Black Stars players and officials in Kenya and Sudan in pre-match campings, without the involvement of any other official of the his ministry.

The last charge in the six point report claimed the Hon Mubarak had requested a refund of GH¢674.02 as expenses for baby oil, baby food and other household items although he was advised against such requests.

Muntaka has since presented his defence to the allegations levelled against him at the seat of government, the Osu Castle.