In a shocking revelation, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has exposed what he describes as an astonishing AFCON budget of US$8.5 million (equivalent to GHS 105 million) allocated by the Ghanaian government and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for the Black Stars’ participation in the ongoing 2023 AFCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
Despite previous efforts to uncover financial details, the Youth and Sports Minister and GFA officials have reportedly refused to disclose this information.
Okudzeto Ablakwa, known for his commitment to transparency, revealed that intercepted documents in his possession confirm the agreed-upon budget.
The disclosed budget, amounting to US$8,506,450.00, is separate from the GHS 27.9 million spent on the qualifiers.
A letter from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, dated January 2, 2024, addressed to the Minister of Finance, requests part payment of US$5,071,840.36 from the total budget. Notably, the budget exceeds the AFCON winner’s prize money of US$7 million, potentially leading to losses even if Ghana had won the trophy.
Okudzeto Ablakwa questioned the rationale behind such a significant budget for a country facing financial challenges and seeking an IMF bailout. He drew a comparison with Zambia, which reportedly approved a total budget of only US$2.1 million for the same AFCON competition.
The revelation raises concerns about financial transparency, and Okudzeto Ablakwa has vowed that Parliament will probe this astonishing budget upon its resumption on February 6, 2024.
The disclosure follows the Black Stars’ disappointing exit from the tournament and adds to the ongoing discussions about financial accountability in Ghanaian sports governance.
