The Minister of State-in-charge of Youth and Sports, Hon. Rashid Pelpuo, has been accused of causing financial loss to the state by travelling with a delegation whose presence was not necessary at the FIFA World Cup draw held in South Africa last Friday.

The MP for Atwima Mponua Hon. Isaac Asiamah made the accusation in an interview with journalists today, 8th December 2009.

He said those who travelled with the Minister against the advice of the GFA officials who were also in South Africa to witness the event, only watched the ceremony on television in their hotel rooms in South Africa when they could have done so in Ghana without travelling at the expense of the State.

The "Daily Guide" newspaper reported on Monday that while the accredited Ghana Football Association (GFA) team made up of Kwesi Nyantakyi, President, Fred Pappoe, Vice President, Randy Abbey, GFA Spokesperson, Coach Milovan Rajevac, Black Stars technical handler, and Hon. Abdul Rashid Pelpuo, Youth and Sports Minister, were in the thick of proceedings, the parallel group was embarrassingly locked out.

The paper claims that Kojo Bonsu, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Insight Managing Editor, Stephen M. E. K Ackah, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports, Kojo Twum-Boafo, defeated National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Alhaji Sidiku Sulley and Ben Nunoo Mensah of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) among others, were the official government delegation but were compelled to watch the draw on TV screens in their hotels rooms.

Hon Asiamah therefore urged the Minister to render apology to the nation over the incident. He also advised government to refrain from unnecessarily interfering in the management of football affairs in the country.

The Ghanaian Observer (GO) checks and sources in South Africa told GO over the weekend that though Kwesi Pratt was part of the government delegation, he was not admitted into the Westin Hotel and Cullinan Hotel, the official hotel for the event because he did not have accreditation. Sports Minister Rashid Pelpuo, according to our sources had to make alternative arrangements for Pratt to sleep in a Protea hotel.

Kwesi Pratt was espied at the precincts of the Cape Town International Conference Center in the company of some others who did not gain admission into the venue whilst the accredited delegates streamed out. GFA basher Kojo Bonsu (who was not on the government delegation) was also in South Africa but was not present in the room for the draw.