'Gargantuan' African Games budget: LOC replies Okudzeto Ablakwa

The Local Organizing Committee of the 13th African Games has described as ‘erroneous and disingenuous’ an allegation by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that the government intends to spend US$48million as 'operational expenses' on the competition.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, the LOC rejected what they claim to be a deliberate spinning of facts to divert the focus of Ghanaians from the supposed good works they have done so far.

While the LOC did not reject the $ 48 million claim, they explained that the amount mentioned by Ablakwa goes into ‘recurrent expenditure’ and that the exact amount that will be expended on the tournament will be revealed to Ghanaians at the end of the competition.

While promising their commitment to accountability and transparency, the LOC exhorted the minds of Ghanaians to the capitally demanding nature of hosting tournaments like the African Games and allayed fears of mismanagement.

“Firstly, what the Honorable MP put out is a misrepresentation of the facts. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) was inaugurated by His Excellency Nana Addo a Akufo-Addo, almost four years ago and the operational budget of the LOC cannot be limited to the 18 days of the Games.

“The impression created by Hon. Ablakwa that the sum of USD$48m will be spent within the period spanning 8th-23rd March is an erroneous and disingenuous ploy to divert the attention of Ghanaians from the excellent work done by the Government of Ghana and the LOC to organise and host the 13th African Games. This is the first time Ghana has had the opportunity to host the most significant sporting tournament in Africa since it was first established in 1965.

“Secondly, the $48m quoted in the letter leaked to the Hon Ablakwa as the operational budget for the hosting and organization of the Games goes into recurrent expenditure, and the LOC will be in a better position to give a breakdown when the Games are over.

“It must be noted however, that hosting 54 African countries comes with huge cost implications in the areas of Medical and Anti-doping, Transport, Accommodation, Catering, Branding, Games Management System- Team Ghana preparation, Broadcasting and Equipment for 29 sporting disciplines among others,” the statement read.

On Monday, February 26, 2024, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, armed with documents, revealed what he purports to be the budget for operations at the 13th African Games.

He accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the sports ministry, and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the games of being complicit in the ballooned expenditure.

The three groups, he said in a February 26, 2024, post on social media, "have shockingly agreed to spend an elephantine, wrongful and unconscionable US$48million on so-called 'operational expenses' for the 13th African Games to be hosted in Ghana between the period — March 5 to March 23, 2024. [Refer to intercepted documents attached]

"2. It must be noted that this staggering US$48 million is an entirely different amount from the mega US$195 million (GHS2.4 billion) already spent on infrastructure for the games.

"3. At the prevailing exchange rate, US$ 48 million is equivalent to a colossal GHS602 million," he added.

EK/NOQ