Kwame Owusu Danso Petitions OSP to Probe $245m Expenditure for All African Games

Kwame Owusu Danso, Convener of the Forum for Accountable Governance, has formally petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate potential corruption related to the 13th All African Games, which took place from March 4 to March 23, 2024.

Danso and his group are calling for a thorough examination of the $245 million spent on the event. The petition raises concerns about transparency, accountability, and value for money. It also highlights potential breaches in procurement, conflicts of interest, and other forms of corruption surrounding the allocation of funds for the games.

Danso expressed his confidence in the OSP’s capability to conduct a fair and detailed investigation. He stated, “To the extent that I told you I have so much confidence in the Office of the Special Prosecutor, we’re all law-abiding citizens and so, if investigations are conducted and properly so done and the outcome is that there are no corruption-related matters inherent in the organisation of the All African Games, I think the matter would have been brought to bed. And so, I would not further query or ask questions about it. At least, my conscience will be satisfied that I have done the Lord’s duty for the good people of this country.”

In related developments, controversy has arisen regarding the financial dealings of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in connection with the games. On August 19, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif claimed during a Public Accounts Committee session that GBC had received over $3 million for its coverage of the event. This statement was made in response to concerns about unpaid debts to the technical staff involved in the games.

However, Prof. Amin Alhassan, Director-General of GBC, refuted these claims, clarifying that the broadcaster only received $105,000. This amount was allocated to support GBC's decision to dedicate an entire channel to the African Games, thereby suspending its regular programming on GTV Sports Plus.

The discrepancy between the reported figures and the actual amount received by GBC has further fueled the call for transparency and accountability in the management of funds related to the 13th All African Games.