'Ghana Spends U.S.$4,564,352.00 On AFCON 2019'

By Julius Yao Petetsi

Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah, has said $4,564,352.00 was expended on the training tour of the Black Stars till Ghana exited the round 16 stage of the 32nd African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2019, in Egypt.

He indicated that the amount was out of $6,365,033.84 approved for the tournament, comprising training tour, main tournament and their related activities.

The minster, who was rendering financial account covering Ghana's participation at AFCON 2019, to Parliament, on Wednesday, explained that the expenditure covered the playing body, the technical team, members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, and representatives of the Ghana League Clubs Association.

Others are representatives of Old Footballers Association, some staff of the Ghana Football Association, some staff of the Ministry, some members of Ghana Supporters Union and journalists.

He said the breakdown is airfare, S$924,168; player per diem, S$187,050; technical staff per diem, S$129,600; additional technical team per diem, S$90,750; winning bonus for players, S$965,405; winning bonus for technical team, S$347,027; and winning bonus for additional technical team S$177,000.

Other expenditure is accommodation, S$1.143 million; feeding S$419,300; match tickets, S$41,750; medicals, S$44,574; visa fees, S$8,541; internal transportation, S$43,092 and incidentals, S$42,576.

Mr Asiamah, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Mponua, dismissed allegations that the Ghanaian contingent went on excursion following the team's elimination from the tournament.

Contrary to reports that some supporters were stranded in Egypt, the minister said "no supporter was stranded in Egypt."

Mr Asiamah indicated that the supporters did not go to Egypt as a group, but as individuals with different visa durations, and that their return was pre-arranged and that those still in Egypt were there based on the dates of return per their flight tickets.

"Mr Speaker, a detailed tournament report is to be provided by the Normalisation Committee by July 26, 2019 after which major recommendations and decisions with regard to the re-organisation of football in Ghana will be taken," he told the House.

Commenting on the statement, the Minority Spokesperson on Youth, Sports and Culture Committee, Kobena Mensah Woyome, asked for detailed account on what was spent on the MPs as against what was spent on the supporters.

He questioned what criteria were used in selecting the supporters as there were still complaints of favouritism in the selection process.

The Chairman of the committee and MP for Mpohor, Alex Kofi Agyekum, said that the committee had already written to the minister to appear before it for a thorough breakdown of all monies spent at the tournament.

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