In a shocking revelation, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has exposed what he describes as an alarming misuse of taxpayer funds under President Akufo-Addo’s administration regarding the rehabilitation of major sports facilities in the country.
According to intercepted documents, Hon. Ablakwa alleged that millions of cedis were paid annually to Kelvin Ofori-Atta, a close relative of both the President and the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, for the rehabilitation of major sports stadiums in Ghana
“Intercepted Payment Vouchers reveal that every year since 2019, President Akufo-Addo and Ken Ofori-Atta made sure their cousin, Kelvin Ofori-Atta religiously received huge payments for stadium rehabilitations. (Intercepted Payment Vouchers are duly attached).
“Remember that Kelvin Ofori-Atta is the owner of Coupbay and Cisdan, the two companies awarded a sweetheart deal to rehabilitate the Accra Sports Stadium and the Essipong Sports Stadium”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Abalakwa, MP for North Tongu
The MP questioned how, despite these massive payments, Ghana still ended up facing the embarrassment of being banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) due to inadequate stadium facilities.
Breakdown of Payments
The documents intercepted by Hon. Ablakwa revealed that since 2019, Kelvin Ofori-Atta’s companies, Coupbay and Cisdan, have been paid substantial amounts to carry out rehabilitation works at the Accra Sports Stadium and Essipong Sports Stadium.
Hon. Ablakwa disclosed that on March 18, 2019, Coupbay was paid GHS6,006,868.44 for rehabilitation of the Accra Sports Stadium, while on June 18, 2020, Coupbay received an additional GHS10,662,700.28 for further work on the same stadium.
Again, on March 10, 2021, the North Tongu lawmaker alleged that another GHS4,754,829.56 was paid to Coupbay for the Accra Sports Stadium, while on May 27, 2022, Coupbay received GHS4,325,539.84 for ongoing rehabilitation work.
Additionally, Hon Ablakwa revealed that on December 29, 2023, Cisdan, another company belonging to the cousin of the President and former Finance Minister, Kelvin Ofori-Atta was paid GHS6,511,245.66 for rehabilitation works at the Essipong Sports Stadium.
“These 5 Payment Vouchers alone amount to a staggering payment of GHS32,261,183.78”, Hon Ablakwa pointed out.
Failed Rehabilitation Efforts Amid Conflict of Interest
The Chairman of the Assurances Committee of Parliament, in expressing his shock, noted that, despite these hefty payments, Ghana faced an unprecedented CAF ban that disqualified the country from hosting and playing international football matches within its borders.
According to him, the ban was attributed to subpar conditions at the very stadiums that were supposedly rehabilitated.
In a scathing critique, Hon. Ablakwa argued that the situation is a glaring example of conflict of interest and financial mismanagement, given that the recipient of the contracts is a member of the President’s family.
He further lamented that despite over GHS85 million of taxpayer money reportedly spent on stadium rehabilitations, Ghana now finds itself relying on neighbouring countries like Togo and Ivory Coast to host its home games.
“Never in our history have we had a government that spends so much to solve a problem, only for that problem to get worse,” Hon. Ablakwa remarked.
Calls for Accountability and Justice
In a fervent call to action, the North Tongu MP vowed that this latest international embarrassment would not go unpunished, assuring Ghanaians that the perpetrators of what he called “this monumental failure” would be held accountable.
He also expressed confidence that under a new NDC government, led by former President John Dramani Mahama, an initiative called “Operation-Recover-All-Loot (ORAL)” would ensure that all looted funds would be retrieved.
“Like most Ghanaians, I cannot wait for the implementation of Operation-Recover-All-Loot when President Mahama, by God’s grace, wins the December 7, 2024, election,” Hon. Ablakwa declared.
The revelations made by Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa have added fuel to the already intense public debate about corruption, nepotism, and financial mismanagement under the Akufo-Addo administration.
For Hon. Ablakwa, this case is just one example of why more accountable leadership is needed to protect the public purse and restore Ghana’s international reputation.
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