The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has criticised the Ministry of Sports and Recreation over a GH¢35.8 million expenditure claim submitted to the Ministry of Finance for the deployment of 6,000 police officers during the 2023 African Games without supporting documents.

The Committee also raised concerns over a separate GH¢455,000 bill for hostel accommodation used during the Games, saying no documentation had been provided to justify the payment request submitted to the Sports Ministry.

During proceedings on Monday, May 18, Ranking Member of the Committee, Samuel Atta-Mills, questioned how such a large amount could be claimed without evidence and suggested that recurring irregularities within the ministry may require broader administrative changes.

“There are unsupported claims amounting to GH¢35.8 million for just 6,000 police officers during the African Games,” he said.

“GH¢35.8 million was spent in 2024 on police officers alone, yet there is no documentation to support the expenditure. How is that possible?”

Mr Atta-Mills further criticised what he described as persistent irregularities within the ministry despite frequent changes in leadership.

“There was a time when the Ministry of Sports changed ministers almost every year,” he stated.

“If we still cannot understand this duplication and these irregularities, then I don’t see why only the minister should be changed every year. Maybe everyone in the ministry should be changed every year while the minister stays.”

Meanwhile, Executive Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the 2023 African Games, Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, told the Committee that the police initially assured organisers that supporting documents for the claims would be provided, but failed to do so.

“Initially, the police officers were only supposed to assist in carrying out security duties,” he explained.

“We were even feeding them at first, but later they pulled out. Then, out of nowhere, at the end of the event, they submitted this bill.”

Dr Ofosu-Asare said he personally requested a breakdown and justification for the charges after being surprised by the amount presented.

“I wrote to them asking them to justify such a huge amount, but they could not provide any justification,” he said.

“So that is how we got to this point. I was shocked to the marrow by the kind of bill they presented, and I asked them to provide a breakdown and supporting details for what they were claiming.”