Brazil 2014: Government paid over GH¢27m in May — MoF
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Major Mahama Tara, yesterday revealed that a total of GH¢27,213,974.38 was released by the government in May for the Black Stars’ Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup participation.
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The amount included the players’ appearance fees, which stirred controversy during the tournament.
Giving evidence of his ministry’s role before the Justice Senyo Dzamefe Commission at the Media Centre of the Accra Stadium, Major Tara revealed further with documents that the first instalment of GH¢25,833,724.90 was paid into the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ self-consolidated fund by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department on May 20, 2014, while the balance of GH¢1,478,249.50 was also paid into the same account the following day.
He said the payment followed a letter from the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Bani, instructing the Ministry of Finance to release $9,417,24.89 and GH¢1,478,250 to the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) for the Black Stars’ World Cup participation.
According to him, the MOYS originally submitted a total budget of GH¢91,675,606 for all sports activities for the year but the Ministry of Finance could allocate only GH¢19,431,401.
The Chief Director, who was accompanied by Mr Thomas Appeagyei, Social Sector Head, also disclosed that the MOYS originally requested for GH¢24.9 million for the Black Stars’ preparation and later reduced it to GH¢2.4 million.
He said once funds were released 20 days after receipt of the request for disbursement way ahead of the World Cup, the government could not be blamed for what happened to the team in Brazil.
Major Tara explained further that his ministry’s obligation was to make funds available in a timeous manner while how the money was spent rested with the MOYS.
During cross-examination by the commission chairman, Justice Dzamefe, and his fellow commissioners, Moses Foh-Amoaning and Kofi Anokye Owusu Darko, Major Tara pointed out that the total amount was released on the premise that the Stars would go all the way to the final, hence ongoing talks between his ministry and MOYS for a refund of the balance after the team’s first round elimination.
Recounting his embarrassment about the infamous flying of the Stars’ appearance fees in a private jet to Brazil while on a trip outside the country, Major Tara recommended that funds should either be sent through individuals’ bank accounts or ahead of schedule through the nation’s foreign missions.
Earlier, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Lesley Kojo Christian, had told the commission his ministry’sinvolvement in the Stars’ campaign was limited, save the little assistance provided by the Ghana Mission in Brasilia when the Stars played Portugal in the Brazilian capital on June 26.
Testifying in the company of Mrs Hannah Nyarko, Director of the Americas Bureau at the Ministry, he revealed his ministry only received letters from some state institutions and the Rawlingses to help facilitate their visas.
During cross-examination, the Senior State Attorney attached to the commission, Mr Jonathan Acquah, asked whether the ministry heard that some Ghanaian supporters who travelled to Brazil could not enter the stadium to support the Stars and also that two Ghanaians got stranded in Brazil.
In his response, Mr Christian said they only heard about the supporters’ predicament in the media, and that his ministry had contacted the guarantors and relatives of the two stranded Ghanaians to ensure the needed funds were provided for their repatriation. He could, however, not confirm whether they had returned home or not.
Justice Dzamefe urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to go the extra mile to redeem Ghana’s image which had been battered by those asylum seekers in Brazil on grounds of a so-called religious conflict in order to win back the confidence of potential investors and tourists.
He also suggested to the ministry to have a copy of the sports calendar and liaise with the MOYS to eliminate some of the bottlenecks in the system.
Asked what role the ministry played in the Canadian High Commission’s decision to refuse Ghanaian supporters visas to travel to support the Black Princesses at the ongoing FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada, which provoked a demonstration yesterday, Mr Christian said though it filed an appeal there was no response from the Canadians.
Before adjourning sitting to 10a.m today, the chairman disclosed that the commission held another sitting in camera with Major Tara during recess for some evidence he did not want to tender in public.
