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We were not paid $3million for 13th African Games – GBC refutes Sports Minister’s claim
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The Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif during a Public Account Committee hearing yesterday, August 19, said, the official broadcaster of the 13th African Games, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation was paid over $3 million for its coverage.
Responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, the minister said “GBC was the official broadcaster for the 13th African Games and I can confirm that full payment has been made.”
He further added that “I can recollect the exact amount, but I know that it is in excess of $3 million dollars for their coverage of the African games.”
However, in a sharp rebuttal, the Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Prof. Amin Alhassan, has refuted the assertions made by the Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif.
According to Prof Amin GBC only received $105,000, adding that his outfit was only brought into the discussions just one month before the event.
In an interview with the State broadcaster, he said“I think yesterday I was one of those who was shocked to learn that the minister of youth and sports said that they had paid GBC in excess of $3 million and I want to assure every Ghanaian and the public that GBC’s total benefit from the African Games was $105,000 us dollars equivalent.”
He added that “Nothing more was paid as a benefit to GBC. And that payment was as support for the fact that we dedicated an entire channel 24 hours. We suspended normal programming for the GTV Sports+ and dedicated it to the All African games. And for our role as the official broadcaster. that is what the GBC was paid and not in excess of $3 million.”
“When you suspend a channel’s normal programming, there is an opportunity cost, so it’s used to offset the cost of the channel not doing regular programming. So there is a loss of business. So it’s important to point out that when you take an entire channel 24 hours for two weeks, it comes at a cost, and that was what the money was for. So it was for our revenue. $105,000 and not in excess of 3 million dollars,”Prof. Amin Alhassan further explained.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Mr. Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin has announced private sector led initiative that will see “Visit Ghana” on the “front of jersey” of Sunderland Football Club for the 2026/2027 football season.
The “Visit Ghana” project is a special marketing drive that will have presence on the front of jersey of Sunderland Football Club during the English Premier League.
Under this initiative, Sunderland FC will have on the front of their jerseys, “Visit Ghana” as part of efforts to drive and promote tourism in Ghana.
“We are entering a formal engagement with them to put Visit Ghana on their jerseys and all paraphernalia.
“We have gone far with the discussions, and therefore they usually showing interest,” Mr. Bagbin stated this at the 37th sitting of Parliament.
Mr. Bagbin explained further that, the initiative is not being sponsored by Parliament, but by the private sector adding that, the project will boost tourism in Ghana.
“This is not being sponsored by parliament. Infact the main sponsor is from the private sector, we are leading under my canopy to get this done.
“The GFA, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Ministry of Finance have also been very supportive in this project,” he stated.
The Visit Ghana Front of Shirt Partnership with Sunderland, is expected to make Ghana the first African country to occupy such a position with a premier league club, and also offer global promotion for Ghana through EPL broadcasts, digital platforms and international media channels.
Motorists traveling between Accra and Kumasi are facing major delays today following a serious road crash at Birimso Bridge on the N6 Highway.
The accident, which involved a high-occupancy passenger bus, a loaded articulated truck, and a sedan, has completely blocked both lanes of the highway. As a result, all Accra-bound and Kumasi-bound traffic has been brought to a standstill.
Personnel from the Eastern South Regional Police MTTD, based in Kibi, are currently at the scene managing the situation.
To ease congestion, police have put in place temporary traffic diversions effective today.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
