Samuel Nartey George, a member of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC), has expressed concerns about the disparity in daily payments to Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) staff during their coverage of the recent All Africa Games.
According to the Ningo-Prampram MP, local GBC staff were paid GH¢100 per day, while foreign staff received GH¢1000 per day.
He called for an explanation of this discrepancy during an interview with Selorm Adonoo on Eyewitness News on Citi FM.
The issue is further complicated by controversy over the total amount paid to GBC for covering the event.
GBC’s Director-General, Prof. Amin Alhassan, has disputed the Sports Ministry’s claim that the broadcaster received over $3 million for covering the 13th African Games.
During a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session on August 19, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif stated that GBC had indeed been paid more than $3 million.
This assertion was made in response to Sam George’s concerns about unpaid debts to the technical staff who worked on the games.
Prof. Alhassan refuted the Sports Ministry’s claim, clarifying that GBC received only $105,000.
He explained that this amount was intended to support GBC’s decision to dedicate an entire channel to the African Games, resulting in the suspension of regular programming on GTV Sports Plus.
Mr. George emphasized, “Even if it was $105,000 that was paid, we need to understand from GBC how that money was allocated, who received what, and how it was distributed, because we are informed that foreign broadcasters working through GBC were paid GH¢1000 per day, while Ghanaian GBC staff received only GH¢100.”
He added, “Questions must be answered… We will conduct a thorough investigation into the issues surrounding the All Africa Games, including expenses, releases, and disbursements to staff.”
