Mustapha Ussif cited in GHS579m Africa Games scandal
A forensic audit into the hosting of the 13th African Games has implicated former Minister for Youth and Sports Mustapha Ussif and two other top officials in what the Auditor-General describes as widespread financial irregularities involving over GH¢579million in public expenditure.
The audit report has recommended that Ussif, former Chief Director of the Ministry, William Kartey, and former Local Organising Committee Chairman, Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, be held jointly liable for the recovery of massive sums flagged during the organisation and delivery of the continental sporting event.
According to the Auditor-General, the three officials should be surcharged for the recovery of GHS 579,114,352.24, alongside $44,354,881.77 and €629,070 linked to questionable expenditures and contractual irregularities associated with Ghana’s hosting of the Games.
The forensic audit was commissioned in 2025 by President John Dramani Mahama following growing public concerns over the cost of hosting the event and allegations of procurement breaches, inflated contracts and unexplained expenditures.
Although the audit stopped short of making criminal findings against the officials involved, it uncovered what investigators described as systemic financial irregularities across nearly every major component of the Games.
The report identified alleged cases of cost inflation, unsupported payments, procurement anomalies, undelivered goods, irregular contractual variations and questionable infrastructure claims spanning catering, accommodation, transport, sports equipment procurement, engineering works and administrative expenditures.
Among the findings highlighted by auditors were $2.8 million in non-feeding costs embedded within catering contracts without adequate supporting documentation.
The audit also flagged €572,040 linked to alleged overpricing of anti-doping services and an additional $840,000 in what investigators described as inflated accommodation expenses.
Transport and logistics-related irregularities alone reportedly exceeded GHS30 million, while auditors also identified payments for sports equipment that were either not delivered or lacked proper technical specifications and supporting records.
Further concerns were raised over GHS15.09 million in unrelated payments and GHS12 million tied to infrastructure defects at major facilities including the Aquatic Centre and the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
However, the largest financial discrepancies were recorded within major engineering and construction contracts tied to the Borteyman Sports Complex, Legon Sports Village and the University of Ghana Stadium projects.
According to the report, auditors flagged nearly GHS468 million in alleged unjustified contract variations, inflated payment claims and deviations from approved procurement and contractual processes.
The Auditor-General concluded that the irregularities reflected serious weaknesses and possible abuse within the financial management framework governing the organisation of the Games.
“The findings point to extensive financial irregularities across the entire delivery chain of the Games,” portions of the report indicated.
The report also separately cited Amin Alhassan, Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), in relation to a broadcast training contract connected to the African Games.
The 13th African Games, hosted by Ghana in 2024, represented one of the country’s biggest sporting events in recent history and involved massive investments in sports infrastructure and logistics.
At the time, government officials defended the expenditure as necessary to improve Ghana’s sports infrastructure and strengthen the country’s international sporting profile.
However, concerns over ballooning project costs, delayed infrastructure works and procurement transparency persisted throughout the planning and execution phases of the Games.
The latest findings by the Auditor-General are expected to intensify political and public debate over accountability in the management of state resources and may trigger further parliamentary, legal or investigative actions in the coming weeks.
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