Sports Ministry, GBC in hot water over $3.6million payments

With the understanding that the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was going to use the services of third parties to assist them implement their obligations for the 2023 All African Games in Accra, the total agreed amount was $3.6 million, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has clarified.

From that total amount of $3.6 million, $2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two tranches of $ 1 million and 1.5 million on 13th March, 2024 and 22nd May, 2024 respectively.

Another amount of $1 million was paid to third parties upon the instructions of GBC, in accordance with the contract.

This is a clarification in a press release dated August 20, 2024 and issued by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif in reaction to how much was paid for broadcasting the All African Games held in Accra in March 2024.

Following the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif disclosure in Parliament on Monday that the government paid the national broadcaster, GBC, an excess of $3 million for the coverage of the 2023 African Games.

The Director General of the GBC, Professor Alhassan Amin on Tuesday reacted and said GBC’s total benefit from the coverage of the All African Games was $105,000.

He said apart from the $105,000, nothing more was paid as benefit to GBC.

He said that payment of $100,000 was as support for the fact that GBC dedicated a channel, GTV Sports Plus to the African Games.

“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 equivalent. 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,” he said.

However, in a letter dated August 20, 2024 and addressed to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, the GBC Director General, Prof Alhassan Amin clarified that per an agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, GBC, as the Official Broadcaster, was to supervise the technical production teams that were to bring into the country, their own production equipment and to undertake the production of the African Games.

“It is important to clear that GBC was the Official Broadcaster but not responsible for the technical production of the Games.

“The technical production was outsourced as GBC did not have the equipment to produce the Games.

“As a result, three other organizations PGS, Quality Media Production and The Production Room were responsible for the technical production.

Attached below is a copy of the full statement from the ministry

CLARIFICATION ON THE AMOUNT PAID TO THE GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION FOR THE COVERAGE OF THE 13TH AFRICAN GAMES

We refer to the Public Accounts Committee sitting on Monday 19th August, 2024, where the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon Mustapha Ussif led the National Sports Authority and the National Youth Authority, two agencies under the Ministry to respond to issues raised by the Auditor General.

At the sitting, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram Constituency, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, asked a public interest question regarding the payment to Ghana Broadcasting Corporation( GBC) for their production and broadcasting services rendered at the 13TH African Games to which, the Hon. Minister responded that GBC was paid in excess of $ 3 Million.

The Ministry’s attention has been drawn to comments made by the Director General of GBC stating that they did not receive the said amount.

We wish to make the following statements to clarify the issues:

a. The Ministry of Youth and Sports, through the Local Organising Committee, received proposals from various stakeholders for the production and broadcasting rights for the 13h African Games.

b. Some organisations submitted proposals in excess of $ 6 million, which the Ministry deemed excessive.

c. Also, the Ministry, in its quest to build local capacity and leave a legacy after the 13h African Games, engaged the GBC to become the official broadcaster for the Games.

d. The other reason for the Ministry’s decision was that GBC’s financial quotation for production and transmission was the lowest.

e. With the understanding that GBC will use the services of third parties to assist them implement their obligations, the total agreed amount was $3.6 million

f. Subsequently, an agreement was reached between the two institutions: the Ministry and GBC.

From the total amount, $ 2.5 million was paid directly to GBC in two tranches: $ 1 million and 1.5 million on 13th March, 2024 and 22nd May, 2024 respectively.

h. Another amount of $1 million was paid to third parties upon the instructions of GBC, in accordance with the contract.

i. As a public institution we are committed to transparency and accountability in the discharge of our mandate.

SIGNED
HON. MUSTAPHA USSIF (MP) MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS