Are we going to kill cows every day? – Kwaku Yeboah stings Okudzeto Ablakwa over African Games budget

The spokesperson of the Local Organizing Committee of the 2023 African Games, Dan Kwaku Yeboah, has claimed that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s recent revelations about the government’s budget and intended expenditure for the African Games was for political expediency.

Dan Kwaku Yeboah says that having been a keen follower and admirer of Okudzeto Ablakwa over the years, the only explanation he will give for his allegations about the 13th African Games is that he (Ablakwa) is trying to score some points for his party, the National Democratic Congress.

Kwaku Yeboah, in a Neat FM interview, did not contest or reject the figures quoted by Ablakwa in his revelations but rather took umbrage with the commentary that came with it.

He posits that the Member of Parliament for North Tongu engaged in ‘simplistic calculation’ by limiting the $48 million budget for ‘operational expenses’ to just the period the competition will be held.

Kwaku Yeboah explained that the budget is to cater for expenses that precede and proceed with the 18-day period in which Ghana will host the competition.

“Some of the claims he made are due to the season we find ourselves in. The intelligent Okudzeto, I know, wouldn’t make that analysis on a regular day. The LOC was formed in October 2020, so if you calculate our expenses based on just the 18 days the tournament will be held, then you are being too simplistic. Per his calculation, we are going to spend GH₵33.4m per day. If you convert to the old currency, it is 33 billion cedis daily. Are we going to kill cows every day at the LOC?” he asked.

Dan Kwaku Yeboah also reminded Ghanaians of the cost-intensive nature of putting together a tournament like the African Games.

He highlighted some things that contributed to the budget Okudzeto Ablakwa described as elephantine.

“We need to understand that African Games is expensive. Unlike FIFA and CAF, who give you money to host their tournament, the African Union rather takes money from you for winning the rights to host their tournament.

“We are hosting 29 disciplines, and we have to buy equipment for all athletes who will be partaking in all 29 disciplines. According to WADA, Ghana doesn’t have a standard laboratory for anti-doping, so all the doping tests which will be conducted during the competition will be finalized in Switzerland,” he added.

On Monday, February 26, 2024, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, armed with documents, revealed what he purports to be the budget for operations at the 13th African Games.

He accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the sports ministry, and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the games of being complicit in the ballooned expenditure.

The three groups, he said in the post on social media, “have shockingly agreed to spend an elephantine, wrongful and unconscionable US$48million on so-called ‘operational expenses’ for the 13th African Games to be hosted in Ghana between the period — March 5 to March 23, 2024.

“2. It must be noted that this staggering US$48 million is an entirely different amount from the mega US$195 million (GHS2.4 billion) already spent on infrastructure for the games.

“3. At the prevailing exchange rate, US$ 48 million is equivalent to a colossal GHS602 million,” he added.