11 facts about the Muntaka matter

The damning news that slowly came out last night was Ghana's President Professor John Evans Mills is asking questions of his sports minister.

It's a bit winding but let me break it into pointers.

1. The President has told the Minister of Sports, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, to present a detailed written response to some alleged financial mismanagement he has been involved in at his ministry.

2. Sources say that the Principal Accountant at the Sport Ministry, Mr Adim Odoom, roll called a tediously lengthy list of requests made by the minister since assuming office three months ago.

3. The minister is said to have demanded monies amounting to several thousands of Ghana cedis in lieu of expenses made on behalf of the Black Stars. He allegedly made requests for monies for unofficial expenses.

4. Muntaka is also said to have travelled with his girlfriend to the finals of the CHAN tournament played early February in Abidjan and charged the cost to his ministry, contrary to advice from his office.

5. The document also cites the minister as allegedly taking $2000 as imprest to cater for hotel bills and other expenses at the tournament but made the imprest holder of the Sports Ministry pay for the expenses.

6. According to the document, while the minister claimed top guns of the NDC government had paid $10,000 as landing charges for the aircraft which conveyed government officials to the CHAN, he turned round to demand a refund of the amount from the ministry.

7. “The accountant released the money ($10,000) to him through the Chief Director. The minister could not produce receipt to date,” the report claimed.

8. The report also said that the minister had taken per diem of GH¢2,000 (just under $2000) for the Ghana-Benin match in Kumasi “though he was told that his maximum per diem entitlement was GH¢1,120 [just under $1000]."

9. The document said Mr Mubarak had signed a covering letter to the Ministry of Finance demanding the release GH¢1,410,051.58 [just under $900k] to the National Sports Council (NSC) when the Office of the Chief of Staff had not been consulted.

10. The report also mentioned the minister to have personally arranged accommodation and feeding expenses of the Black Stars players and officials in Kenya and Sudan in pre-match campings, without the involvement of any other official of the his ministry.

11. The last charge in the six point report claimed the Hon Mubarak had requested a refund of GH¢674.02 [about $500] as expenses for baby oil, baby food and other household items although he was advised against such requests.

Facts from MyJoyline