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The Youth and Sports Ministry has been accused of billing the state a
daily feeding fee of $35 per person in Brazil when the company serving
the meal had put the cost at GH₵34.
It emerged at today’s hearing of the Commission of Inquiry
investigating Ghana’s participation in the 2014 World Cup finals that
although the catering service providers presented an invoice of GH¢34
for feeding each of the 720 fans in Brazil during the Black Stars stay
in Brazil, the Sports Ministry allegedly increased the figure to GH$35
(GH¢129.6).
The revelations were made by the World Cup Events Sub-committee
Chairman, Horace Nii Armah Ankrah, when he appeared before the
Presidential Commission.
Although Nii Armah Ankrah had insisted during the hearing Chaired by
Justice Senyo Dzamefe that $35 was approved as feeding fee per a
football fan, the Commission countered his testimony with documentary
proof that figures submitted by the catering companies were radically
different from the amount paid by the state.
“My Lord I did not change [GH¢34] to $35”, he said, revealing after
Justice Dzamefe’s persistence that it was the Ministry of Sports that
changed the figures.
Nii Armah Ankrah however said that it would have been “unrealistic” to
feed each fan with the GH¢34.
“One of the main functions of the committee was to make sure that
supporters taken to Brazil were well-taken care of, and My Lord,
everybody here will bear with me that GH¢34 [would not have been
adequate]”, Nii Armah said.
But an outraged Justice Dzamefe enquired “why did you choose somebody
[caterer] who would give you an estimate that cannot feed the people?”
Mr. Armah could not give a direct answer to Justice Dzamefe’s
question, except to maintain that the particular caterer had other
qualities which his sub-committee was looking for.
Justice Dzamefe then reminded him: “Value for money, you lost that one”.
Speaking on Top Story on Joy FM Tuesday, Spokesperson for the
Commission, Thomas Boakye Agyemang, said the Commisstion’s
investigations revealed that initial evidence by Nii Armah Ankrah was
contradicting theirs.
Mr Agyemang also revealed that notice has been served to the three
caterers contracted, Amber Quality Foods Limited, Monique’s Foods and
Kenkey Boutique Enterprise to appear before the Commission
Horace Nii Armah Ankrah will return to the Commission on Wednesday to
continue with his testimony.
Ghana’s poor performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil prompted
the Sports Ministry to set up a three member committee to investigate
issues of player indiscipline and poor decisions taken by the
management team, as well as general poor performance of the team.
But president John Mahama later upgraded the committee into a
Commission of Inquiry.
So far, Ministry of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and
Sports, Bank of Ghana, Former Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah,
Fred Darko and Kenpong Travel and Tours have given testimonies before
the Commission.
The rest are Travel Matters, African Origin and Sports Tourism, Bammed
Travel and Tours, Elizabeth Ofosu Agyari, Kojo Adu Asare and Akah
Anthony.
Credit: Myjoyonline
