The Ministry of Youth and Sports has clarified the payment made to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) for its role as the official broadcaster of the 13th African Games held in Accra earlier this year.
The clarification follows controversy sparked by comments made by Minister Mustapha Ussif during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session on August 19, 2024, where he stated that the Ministry had paid GBC over $3 million for its broadcasting services. This statement was in response to concerns raised by MP Samuel Nartey George regarding unpaid debts to technical staff who worked on the event.
However, GBC’s Director-General, Prof. Amin Alhassan, refuted the Minister’s claim, stating that GBC only received $105,000, intended to support the broadcaster’s decision to dedicate an entire channel to the African Games, suspending regular programming on GTV Sports Plus.
In response, the Ministry provided a detailed breakdown of the financial arrangements with GBC on August 20, 2024. The Ministry explained that it had received several proposals for the production and broadcasting rights of the Games, some exceeding $6 million, which were deemed excessive. To build local capacity and leave a lasting legacy, the Ministry chose GBC as the official broadcaster, as their financial quotation was the lowest.
The Ministry clarified that the total agreed amount for GBC’s services was $3.6 million. Out of this, $2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two installments—$1 million on March 13, 2024, and $1.5 million on May 22, 2024. The remaining $1 million was paid directly to third-party service providers at GBC’s request, in line with the contractual agreement.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability, assuring that all financial transactions were conducted with the highest integrity.