Dr Kweku Ofosu Asare, the Executive Chairman of the Accra 2023 Africa Games Local Organising Committee (LOC), has dismissed claims of breaches against the LOC, declaring that it followed the country’s procurement laws and procedures in the selection of service providers for the Games.
At a press conference yesterday to respond to claims of over expenditure, Dr Ofosu Asare said, “There was parliamentary scrutiny and approval of which the documents were sent to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Ghana, which undertook value for money assessment of all projects and gave its approval.”
The conference was occasioned by concerns of over spending and breaching procurement rules which was spearheaded by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr Kobina Woyome.
Dr Ofosu Asare stated that it was unfortunate such claims were coming from Mr Woyome who met the LOC on three separate occasions at the instance of the committee.
Commenting on the $4.5million spent on accreditation tags, Dr Ofosu Asare said it was mischievous to single out the tags and its process which was a sub-set and a component of the Games Management System software which involves the internet registration, accreditation, volunteers, sports entry and qualification, volunteers portal and workforce management, games results, games time work results, final results system, timing and scoring, on venue results system, commentators information system, and television graphics, among others.
He explained that the Games management system service provider, ATOS Information Technology was paid $2,995.00 and not $4.5million.
For catering, he disclosed that the LOC signed a $15million contact with L&M Services to provide services which was made up of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for 23 days.
“Everybody at the Games was fed four times a day and those
who benefited from the catering services included the athletes, team officials, technical officer’s volunteers, media (local and foreign), security, medical officers, transport, VIPs, dignitaries, and among a host of others.
“We worked with the International Olympic Committee standard which requires that we provide the various geographical cuisines in Africa, and the Technical Committee for the African Games (TCAG) made sure we provided food to cover persons from the various parts of the continent.”
According to him, a comprehensive report by the Auditor-General would end the hullabaloo over the Games expenditure, and gave the assurance that the tax payer’s money was used well.
The Chairman of the catering sub-committee for Games, Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Mantey, added that a total of 12,902 persons from 53 countries showed up for the Games and were fed four times a day for 23 days.
He noted that each person was charged $15 per meal and the four meals amounted to $60 per person a day.
On insurance cover for the Games, Dr Ofosu Asare revealed that the LOC paid GLICO, a Life Insurance of GH¢3, 931, 42.64 and not the $4.5million peddled in a section of the local media.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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