GNPC have launched a probe into allegations over illegal payments received by a staff member as 'kickback' for the award of GH¢ 1 million contract to organize four public viewing centers in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi during the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

According to reports which broke on Monday, GNPC awarded the contract to E-Volution International, an events and marketing agency, without subjecting it to competitive bidding, with the GNPC cheque of GH¢1million paid into E-Volution International account on June 9, 2014.

The allegation continued that strangely, three separate internal payment vouchers were approved for payment of money to former Youth and Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, the same GNPC and the operations committee of the Brazil 2014 World Cup. All the three payment vouchers, dated June 11, 2014, were signed and approved by the CEO of E-volution International, Mr Fred Darko who was also the project coordinator for the 2014 World Cup Committe.

"The attention of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation has been drawn to a media story alleging that a named member of our staff may have received improper payments from a company that performed a contract on behalf of the Corporation," a press release signed by Acting CEo of GNPC, Alex K.M.Mould on Wednesday stated.

"The Corporation takes a serious view of these allegations. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of public accountability. And we value and will continue to work for the public trust. We have accordingly instituted an inquiry into the matter," the press release continued.

"We ask the public not to rush to judgement. Like all citizens, our members of staff have a constitutional right to due process and to be treated as innocent until proven otherwise," it concluded.

Accordingly, apart from the Accra Mall, the other three public viewing centres showed only the three group matches Ghana played at the tournament even though E-Volution International were awarded the GH¢ 1 million contract to organise four public viewing centres in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi during the entire 2014 Brazil World Cup.