The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) explained to auditors during the forensic audit of the 13th African Games hosted in Ghana in 2024 that the decision to accept the ministry’s “last-minute” request was guided by national interest considerations, aimed at preventing potential international embarrassment and reputational damage to the country, given the imminent nature of the event and circumstances surrounding the arrangement.
It said failing to produce and broadcast the Games, would have been a serious indictment of Ghana and its national broadcaster.
Admittedly, it said GBC’s “internal processes were slow”.
However, the application for the procurement ratification was submitted to Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and was duly ratified.
The responses were contained in the forensic audit commissioned by President John Dramani Mahama in 2025 on the African Games, a copy of which has been seen by Graphic Online.
In the report, the Auditor-General indicated a general widespread cost inflation involving the organisation of the games from the sector ministry level to the local organising committee, irregular payments, and unsupported expenditure across some contracts linked to the event.
The 700-page audit report including appendixes indicates that Ghana’s hosting of the 13th African Games, according to the auditors, had financial irregularities totalling GH¢580,042,347.40, with pervasive overpricing, unqualified contractors, ghost equipment, and systematic circumvention of procurement laws.
Read also: See the ‘overpriced contracts’ inside the Audit Report of the 2023 African Games organised in Ghana
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC)Â
On the broadcasting issues and the engagement of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Auditor-General raised issues with some sub contracts entered into by the GBC and recommended sanctions for the Director-General of the GBC, Prof. Amin Alhassan and three others including the then sector minister and LOC Chairman.
The Auditor-General raised an issue with what he said was an “Irregular Training Contract with The Production Room (TPR) – EUR €57,030.00 (GH¢684,360.00).
It said audit interviews and document review found no evidence whatsoever of training delivery — no schedules, attendance records, training materials, or certification documents — and no proof that the engagement contributed anything to the Games broadcast.
It said the contract was paid 100% in advance without competitive procurement, needs assessment, or deliverable-based safeguards, and included undocumented scope expansion and embedded capital items without proper asset documentation.Â
The auditors recommended a recovery of the amount from Mustapha Ussif, the former Minister of Youth and Sports, William Kartey, a former Chief Director of the sector ministry, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, a former Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman and Prof. Amin Alhassan, the Director-General of GBC).
It said the state broadcaster engaged service providers for work totalling approximately GH¢3.56 million without formal contracts.
It also touched on delayed Public Procurement Authority (PPA) ratification and procurement irregularities on the side of the GBC.
The audit further estimated that GBC lost $4.96 million (approximately GH¢59.5 million) in potential revenue from poor broadcast management and marketing of the Games — due largely to leadership failures in managing GBC’s role in the event.
GBC management’s response to the auditors
Included in the report is an appendix in which the GBC management provided responses and explanations to the issues raised by the auditors.
Attached below is the full response by the GBC managementÂ
IV. Broadcasting & Production: Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC)
Subject: Engagement of Service Providers Without Formal Contracts –
Approx. GH¢ 3,560,213.52
Management Response:
The engagement of the three (3) listed clients was governed by a formal contract.
Subject: Delayed PPA Ratification and Procurement Irregularities
Management Response:
Management acknowledges the audit observation. Admittedly, GBCs internal processes were slow. However, the application for the procurement ratification was submitted to Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and was duly ratified.
Given the extremely limited timeframe within which GBC was mandated to serve as the host broadcaster for the 13th African Games, management had no other alternative than to adopt single-source procurement. Under normal circumstances, and in line with the Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as amended by Act 914, the value involved would have required a full Competitive Tender Process and even a review by the Central Tender Committee (CT) for some of the vendors. These processes would have taken a minimum of three (3) months to complete, which was incompatible with the urgency of the assignment.
In addition, the vendors engaged were selected through a rigorous assessment of their proven competence, experience, and track record in delivering similar high-profile international events.
For instance, PGS successfully delivered the production on the AFCON 2023 tournament hosted by Côte d’Ivoire between the period 13th January 2024 to 11th February 2024, demonstrating the technical capacity and operational excellence required for an assignment of this magnitude. Find attached the profiles of PGS, Quality Media and The Production Room.
It said Silicon House Productions and Broadstem Co Ltd are existing service providers for GBC.
The Silicon House Production O B Van is the most superior Van in the country and the only one GBC uses for the production of international football Games.
It said GBC had earlier communicated to the MoYS the need for advance planning towards the Games.
If GBC’s request were heeded to, normal procurement processes would have been followed.
It said the ministry (MoYS) invited GBC to take the responsibility of the production and broadcast of Games barely a month to the start of the Games. Ordinarily,
“GBC would have rejected this eleventh hour invitation, noting the fact that, we have earlier requested for advance notice not less than one (1) year to enable GBC prepare adequately. As it is the global best practice, Games of this nature allows the national broadcaster to retool itself, “it added.
For instance, when South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), was given advanced notice and resources one (1) year ahead to prepare for the Games.
It said GBC prayed for a similar opportunity, that never materialized because of the late engagement.
GBC’s decision to accept the ministry’s last-minute request was therefore guided by national interest considerations, aimed at preventing potential international embarrassment and reputational damage to the country, given the imminent nature of the event and circumstances surrounding the arrangement. Failing to produce and broadcast the Games, would have been a serious indictment of Ghana and its national broadcaster.
Subject: Use of GBC Staff in Execution of PGS and QMP Contracts Without Commensurate Revenue to GBC
Management Response:
Management acknowledges the observation. However, management arrangement with PGS was in a good faith and was guided by strategic institutional interest and not a labour supply arrangement. Management recognised that, given PGS’s proven track record, international exposure and access to advanced HD broadcast equipment, the collaboration presented a valuable capacity-building opportunity for GBC. Accordingly, GBC staff were deployed to PGS production sites primarily for structured hands-on training and skills enhancement, aimed at strengthening their technical competence and operational capacity. It was therefore an internship and training opportunity for our staff.
It is also important to note that when concerns were raised by our staff regarding the proposed forfeiture of this opportunity and their initial boycott over the GH$100.00 daily T&T allowance, the PGS production activities proceeded smoothly without any disruption.
Management further clarifies that, GBC had no formal or informal arrangement with Quality Media Production (QMP) for deployment of its staff. Consequently, no staff was officially assigned by GBC to QMP in relation to the said contract.
Subject: Irregular Training Contract with The Production Room (TPR)
Management Response:
Management wishes to state that the training programme was both necessary and strategically beneficial, as it significantly broadened the participants’ professional exposure and strengthened their technical and operational capacity. Feedback from the trainees clearly demonstrates that the training was impactful and critical to their professional development.
With regard to the initial agreement entered into between GBC and The Production Room (TPR), the agreement originally provided for the supply of six (6) laptops. Subsequently, management engaged TPR in further discussions, requesting an increase in the number of laptops in view of the Corporation’s operational needs. TPR accepted this request and voluntarily provided an additional two (2) laptops, bringing the total to eight (8) laptops.
In order to formally regularize the adjustment, management requested TPR to document the variation of the initial contract to reflect the eight (8) laptops. In response, TPR formally submitted a written proposal confirming and effecting the variation of the original
agreement.
Subject: Loss of Revenue from Poor Broadcast Management and Marketing
Management Response:
The assertion in the audit observation that the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) envisaged generating USD 5,000,000.00 from the sale of broadcasting rights for the 13th African Games was never formally communicated to GBC, whether verbally, in writing or through any official directive.
Management wish to states that, the agreement entered between GBC and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) was explicit, clear and free from ambiguity. Under the terms of the agreement, GBC was not appointed as the marketing agency for the Games.
With specific reference to the opening ceremony, broadcast rights were granted free of charge to all takers both international and local and not for the subsequent events or continuation of the Games to the international community. This is in conformity with international best practices in international Games of this magnitude. Examples; FIFA World Cup, etc.
It is also important to note that the LOC sold broadcast rights to CEEK, demonstrating that rights commercialization activities were undertaken directly by the LOC.
With respect to the granting of free broadcast rights to SuperSport (DSTV), GBC acted on the direct instruction of the LOC Chair (Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare), who explicitly directed that the rights be granted at no cost. Accordingly, GBC’s actions were based on official authorization and not independent managerial discretion.
Although GBC was not formally mandated to market or sell the broadcast rights, GBC nonetheless developed and issued structured proposals to the AUB fraternity of State Broadcasters of which GBC is a member, for the sale of broadcast rights. As a result of these initiatives, a number of countries responded to the proposals with two (2) countries formally subscribing and signing contracts.
Global best practice in the marketing of broadcast rights of this nature require the explicit appointment of a marketing agency with stated target and benefit to the marketing agency. Alternatively, a rights marketing committee is constituted to sell the rights. GBC was neither appointed a marketing agent nor part of a marketing committee of the 13th African Games.
Subject: Leadership Failures in the Management of GBC’s Role in the 13th African Games – Accra 2023
Management Response:
Management wishes to state that, issues relating to GBC’s role in the 13th African Games were extensively discussed at management meetings, with the matter appearing on the agenda on forty-four (44) separate meeting days. The management meetings are formally constituted and structured to ensure broad institutional representation, comprising all Divisional Directors, the Director-General, the Deputy Director-General and a secretary / recorder. This structure demonstrates that decision-making and discussions were inclusive, transparent and representative across all divisions of the Corporation. No division was excluded from representing their Division at any management meeting, which are held every Tuesday. The minutes of these meetings were duly made available to the audit team upon request.
Furthermore, all Divisional Directors are required to disseminate relevant information from the management meetings to staff within their respective divisions, ensuring effective internal communication and institutional awareness. This is standard practice at GBC for effective organizational communication.
There was no any special welfare planning agreement with the union regarding the 13th African Games. This is because, management was guided by the provisions of the Collective Agreement on all welfare issues. Accordingly, management complied with the Collective Agreement and has not taken any action contrary to the Collective Agreement.
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