The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the All African Game has reacted to allegations made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the government’s planned budget for the upcoming All African Game.

According to the LOC, what the North Tongu MP put out is a “misrepresentation” of the facts.

“What the Honorable MP put out is a misrepresentation of the facts The Local Organising Committee (LOC) was inaugurated by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo almost four years ago and the operational budget of the LOC cannot be limited to the 18-day period of the Games. 

“The impression created by Hon. Ablakwa that the sum of USDS48 million will be spent within the period spanning 8th-23rd March is an erroneous and disingenuous ploy to divert the attention of Ghanaians from the excellent work done by the Government of Ghana and the LOC to organise and host the 13th African Games,” the LOC said in a statement.

It emphasised that the “the USD48 million quoted in the letter leaked by Hon Ablakwa as the operational budget for the hosting and organisation of the Games goes into recurrent expenditure and the LOC will be in a better position to give a breakdown when the Games are over.”

The LOC indicated that the hosting of the 54 African countries “comes with huge cost implications in the areas of Medical and Anti-doping. Transport, Accommodation, Catering, Branding of the Games Management System, Team Ghana preparation, Broadcasting and Equipment for 29 sporting disciplines among others.”

It assured Ghanaians that in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, it will continue to “remain transparent” in its dealings with the public as it strives to host one of the best-organised Games on the continent.

Ablakwa, has made allegations regarding the expenditure plans for the upcoming 13th African Games to be hosted in Ghana from March 5 to March 23, 2024. 

He claims that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as well as the Local Organising Committee (LOC), have agreed to allocate US$48 million for "operational expenses" related to the event.

Mr Ablakwa asserts that this amount is separate from the US$195 million (GHS2.4 billion) already spent on infrastructure for the games.

He points out that Parliament had approved GHS100 million for Goods and Services and GHS50 million for Capital Expenditure for the 2024 expenditure by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on the 13th African Games. 

The lawmaker in a Facebook post criticized President Akufo-Addo's decision to unilaterally increase the approved amount by more than six times, from GHS100 million to GHS602 million for non-Capital Expenditure.