President of Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has rubbished the allegation that the Finance Ministry gave the FA $800,000 as expenditure for Ghana Black Stars’ friendly games against Brazil and Nicaragua.
This comes after renowned Sports Journalist Collins Attah Poku had alleged in a tweet that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta transferred the said amount to the football association.
According to the Sompa FM journalist, the information was conveyed to him by three Majority MPs.
Atta Poku’s statement comes on the back of calls from some members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament for the resignation of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah, and his deputy, Charles Adu Boahen following the dire economic woes.
Among others, it is part of the reasons why these members of parliament are calling for the head of the Finance Minister and his deputy who have sent the country to the International Monetary Fund seeking a bailout.
“Got in touch with 3 Majority MPs who told me they were dismayed to find out the Finance Minister paid almost $800,000 to the Ghana Football Association just last week, in spite of all the challenges we face. The money covers their expenditure in the Brazil and Nicaragua games,” said Atta Poku.
However, the GFA president responding to the claims described it as false and asked the general public to disregard it.
“I have just come out of court to read that the Ministry of Finance gave the Ghana FA USD 800,000 to honour two friendly games against Brazil and Nicaragua. Fact check!!! This is false… Kindly ignore,” Mr. Okraku posted on his Facebook wall.
Fast forward, the GFA, in a statement said the news amounted to a “calculated lie to pitch the public against the Ghana Football Association.”
Meanwhile, the sports journalist has promised to prove the allegation right and has written to the Right To Information commission for official documents to back his claims.
“I’ve seen the GFA’s response and I have decided to test this at the RTI Commission by writing officially to them.
“I won’t rely on any “leaked” document from anywhere but will seek for the most official source in this context.
I’ve been here with them during the betting saga,” he affirmed in response to the FA.
