By Kwame Bediako
The Auditor‑General has recommended sanctions against former Minister for Sports Mustapha Ussif, former Sports Ministry Chief Director William Kartey and former Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman Dr. Kwaku Ofosu‑Asare over financial irregularities amounting to GHS 580,042,347.40 in the management of the 13th African Games held in Accra.
The audit report highlights serious lapses in procurement, contract management, and financial control across the event.
Nature of the irregularities
The breaches include inflated costs for catering, accommodation, sports equipment, vehicle services, and infrastructure works, alongside irregular payments and unapproved contract variations.
Contract variations and “rescoping” of works alone account for over GHS 467 million of the irregularities, indicating that many projects were altered in ways that significantly increased costs without proper documentation or approval.
Officials and accountability
The Auditor‑General has flagged Mustapha Ussif, William Kartey, and Dr. Kwaku Ofosu‑Asare as key figures in the oversight chain, with the report calling for sanctions and stricter accountability for such financial misconduct.
Ofosu‑Asare had earlier told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that he was shocked by a separate GH¢35.8 million bill from the Ghana Police Service for deploying 6,000 officers, underscoring broader concerns about unplanned, high‑cost expenses tied to the Games.
The audit’s findings paint a picture of weak financial governance around the 13th African Games and are expected to fuel ongoing scrutiny of how large‑scale sports events are budgeted and implemented in Ghana.
