AAG fiasco fallout intensifies
by Gary Al-Smith 11 May 2012, 17:03
Ghana won gold in football at the last All Africa Games, but the fallout of poor organization continues months later. The latest twist is a withering 12-page statement from the head of the National Sports Authority.
Worlanyo Agra, who is the Director General of the NSA has responded to a Committee report that was earlier submitted on the bungled nature of Team Ghana's preparations for the Games. In the statement, he accuses Nii Adote Din Barima I, Chairman of the Committee of Inquiry, of improper conduct.
"He made a prejudiced statement by condemning the outcome of the Maputo Games when he was given the opportunity to deliver a key note address on behalf of the President of the Athletics Association, and the GOC at the Castle when the Vice President of Ghana granted audience to team Ghana upon arrival from the All African Games," Agra's statement read.
Agra charges on the Chairman further, hinting at financial malfeasance by Nii Adote Din Barima I. "He failed to account for public funds he used whilst leading a delegation as President of a Sports Association to participate in an international competition.''
At the end of the Committee's report, Nana Adote Din Barima I commends the Minister of Youth and Sports on a "bold initiative taken" which he believes has "demonstrated that the bigger interest of Ghana should reign supreme at all times and override partisan political considerations which have the tendency to undermine national unity and cohesion."
Nana Adote Din Barima has leanings with the opposition New Patriotic Party, while Worlanyo Agra is a political appointee of the ruling National Democratic Congress.
Background
The government of Ghana had formed a five-member committee to investigate poor preparations in the run up to the country's participation in the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. The team was made up of: Nii Atode Din Barima, Prof Francis Dodoo, Ben Ohene Aryee, David Adjem and Randy Abbey and was inaugurated on 4th October, 2011 by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Kofi Humado.
The findings were presented recently, to which Worlanyo Agra issued this response.
