Minister given two weeks to provide cost of World Cup campaign
Youth and Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga has been given two weeks to provide Parliament with the total cost incurred for the Black Stars 2014 World Cup campaign.
The directive came from Mr Ebo Barton-Oduro, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament on Wednesday on the floor of the House.
The First Deputy Speaker issued the directive after an almost one-hour exchange on whether the Minister should provide the figures when a Commission of Enquiry had been established to look into matters, including the cost.
Mr Justice Joe Appiah, New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Ablekuma North had asked the Minister to provide the total cost.
Responding to the query, Mr Ayariga said: “The budget for the tournament and the eventual expenditure are among matters being considered by the Commission.”
“Accordingly, I wish to respectfully plead with you, Mr Speaker and my colleague Members of Parliament to allow the Commission to finalise and submit its report together with the details of all that transpired regarding Ghana’s participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be made available to the House.”
Reactions mainly from the NPP impressed on the Minister to state the cost despite his insistent position that the Commission, which was a quasi- judicial body would have to finalise its work and present a report to the House.
The matter degenerated into a debate, with interventions from the Minority side including the Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensa Bonsu, Papa Owusu Ankoma, MP for Sekondi.
Mr Joe Osei Owusu (NPP Bekwai) and Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah (NPP Akwapim South) and former Deputy Sports Minister Ms Adwoa Safo (NPP Dome-Kwabenya) argued for the need for the Minister to furnish the figures.
To the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensa Bonsuthe position of the Minister was an affront to the dignity of Parliament and was impeding its work.
Questioning whether the Commission is superior to Parliament, the Minority Leader pressed for the Minister to release the cost and asked what had become of earlier committees.
Other arguments raised expressed the view that so far as the question had been admitted by the Speaker it should be answered by the Minister.
In the ruling of the First Deputy Speaker, he indicated that the question was admitted on July 2, 2014, while Commission of Enquiry was set up on August 15, 2014.
The Minister requested time to furnish the answer, and the Speaker gave him two weeks.
Credit: GNA
