The amount paid for the coverage of the 2023 African Games has caused a major disagreement between the Sports Ministry and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

According to Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif, GBC received almost $3 million from the government in exchange for serving as the official Games broadcaster.

“Yes, GBC served as the official broadcaster for the 13th All African Games, and I can attest to the fact that GBC has received full remuneration for its services. Ussif remarked, “I am not sure how much exactly it is, but I know it is more than $3 million.

Prof. Amin Alhassan, Director-General of GBC, has strongly refuted this, claiming that the broadcaster was paid a total of $105,000 for the coverage.

“I want to state that GBC’s total benefit from the African Games was $105,000. Nothing more was paid to GBC,” Prof. Alhassan said on Uniq FM.

The discrepancy in the numbers has spurred discussion in the public and raised issues with how public money are managed.

The GBC has made it clear that the money received was applied to expenses incurred as a result of normal programming being suspended in order to accommodate coverage of the Games.

This occurrence calls into question the transparency of government spending and shows a possible misinterpretation or error in financial reporting.

Honorable Mustapha Ussif, Minister of Youth and Sports, paid the Black Princesses team a visit before they flew to Colombia for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.

Ghana is making its sixth consecutive appearance on the world stage, although they have yet to surpass their group in the World Cup.

The Minister, flanked by the GFA president, urged the team to go out there and make the country proud, stressing that the country is behind them.

“On behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I am here to bid you a hopeful farewell as you embark on this journey to represent the entire country. The GFA President has spoken. I’m here to just also give you an assurance that the entire government is behind you,” he told the team.

“Everything that we are supposed to put in place, you can testify that we have done that beautifully.  We took action when we had difficulties during your camp in Cape Coast to ensure that your stay there became very successful.

He continued: “So, as you leave the shores of our country, be rest assured that we are with you. And you are not only going there to represent yourself, neither your family or your community alone, you are representing the entire country. So, this should be at the back of your minds.”

“When you step on the pitch, you should look back and know that you are representing over 30 million Ghanaians. For every decision that you are going to take on the pitch, be aware that it is people’s emotions and passions that you are representing, so you do your best to represent us well.”

“We’ll make sure we put everything in place in terms of logistics and finance. Just do your best to raise the flag of our dear country very high in Colombia. And like the President said, I’ll be the happiest minister to come to Kotoka International Airport to receive you with the trophy. Go all out and make yourselves proud. Enjoy yourselves and enjoy the game and bring glory back home.” he concluded.