Sports Features of Thursday, 21 August 2014

Source: Listowell Yesu Bukarson

Hon. Afriyie Ankrah, please come again on your figures!

On 9th June, 2014, the Former Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah disclosed at a Press Conference at the Accra Sports Stadium that about five hundred (500) Ghana football fans will be taken to Brazil to Support the national team, the Black Stars at the World Cup.

He revealed at the time, that it would cost US$6000 per head. Adding that the supporters would leave Ghana between 13th, 14th and 15th June, 2014 by a chartered flight.

Yesterday, the former Youth and Sports Minister told the Presidential Commission of inquiry that 612 supporters were eventually taken to Brazil. According to him he raised Gh4.5 Million Cedis from sponsorships to cater for the tripe.

Folks, from my simple analysis, I wonder if Gh4.5 Million could take 612 supporters to Brazil in June considering it cost US$6000 per head. Let's do some mathematics. In June, the dollar rate was $1 dollars to GHS 3 CEDIS. if 612 supporters travelled at the cost of $6000 per head we are looking at 612persons by $6000 by 3cedis which will amount to eleven Million and sixteen thousand Ghana cedis (GH11,016,000) and not the Gh4.5 Million the Minister told the Commission.

Attached is a copy of the breakdown of the Minister’s budget as published by Metro FM.

I ask a very simple question, if government didn’t sponsor the supporters, and if the Minister actually took 612 fans to Brazil at the cost of US$6000 per head as he announced on 9th June, 2014, where did the Minister get the over eleven Million Ghana cedis from?