Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, Executive Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2023 African Games, has clarified that the actual expenditure on the Games Management System was $2.9 million, not the $4.5 million claimed by Kobena Mensah Woyome, Chairman of Parliament's Select Committee for Youth, Sports, and Tourism.
The LOC hired ATOS, a technology integrator that also worked on the 2024 Paris Olympics, for the implementation of the Games Management System. Woyome had raised concerns regarding the alleged overspending, particularly about accreditation tags.
In a press conference at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 30, 2024, the LOC emphasized that accreditation tags are merely a “subset” of the broader Games Management System, which encompasses various components such as TV graphics, the Commentators Information System, Sports Entry and Qualification, Games Results, and Final Results.
Dr. Ofosu-Asare stated, "We paid the company [ATOS] $2,995,000, which amounted to GH¢35,940,000 and not $4.5 million; you can quote me anywhere." He added, "It is important to note that during the organization of the Games, Hon. Woyome met the LOC on three separate occasions at the instance of the Parliament Select Committee and never sought to procure information from the LOC itself to satisfy the queries pertaining to the issuance of contracts."
Additionally, Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif is scheduled to appear before Parliament to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the expenditures related to the continental event.
The 2023 African Games, held from March 8-23, 2024, marked Ghana's first hosting rights, during which the nation secured a total of 69 medals.
