Parliament did not approve Black Stars’ $8.5m budget for 2023 AFCON – Ablakwa

The MP for North Tongu has disclosed that Parliament did not approve the budget that was prepared for Ghana's 2023 AFCON campaign.

According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Sports Ministry and the Ghana FA were giving all sorts of excuses and never submitted the budget to the House for approval.

This comes after the NDC legislator leaked a document that confirmed a whopping $8.5 million was budgeted for the AFCON in the Ivory Coast.

Ablakwa said he was forced to leak the document following the FA and Sports Ministry’s reluctance to disclose the budget even after the Black Stars’ exit from the tournament.

“First of all let me stress that I became suspicious when all efforts in Parliament to get the government and the FA to disclose the amount of money they had budgeted for the AFCON led to nothing, the lawmaker told Luv FM.

They were stonewalling, they were coming up with all sorts of flimsy excuses, that they had not finalized the budget and that we should allow them to go and come and all that. But the point must be made that our laws and the constitution is clear, the Public Financial Management Act is clear that you cannot go and spend public funds without parliamentary approval.

You must submit these budgets to parliament and get approval before you go and spend. It doesn’t happen anywhere, it is as if we have become a banana republic or lawless jungle where people do whatever they want.

The Black Stars were unable to advance to the knockout stages after finishing behind both Cape Verde and Egypt in Group B.

Chris Hughton’s side failed to win a single game at the tournament, with a loss to Cape Verde and draws against Egypt and Mozambique sealing their fate.

Meanwhile, Ghana will earn an amount of $700,000 as a consolation prize despite being eliminated at the group stage of the 2023 AFCON.

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