Minister of Youth and Sports Akua Sena Dansua has urged to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to institute investigations into activities of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).
In a letter dated September 9, 2010, addressed to the IOC and signed by the Minister, it stated that “there are issues of accountability regarding the resources allocated to the GOC by the international body”.
The Minister earlier stated at a press conference two months ago that the issues of the GOC are not bothered on office allocation but on issues of accountability, however, the GOC insists they owe the ministry no form of accountability because the needed accounts have been rendered to the IOC.
Ms Dansua has in addition said the Baba-led administration had been involved in irregularities over Ghana’s participation in the International Olympic Games in Vancouver, the Winter Olympics and the First Youth Olympics in Singapore as well as the Chef de Mission meeting in Delhi, India.
According to the letter, the Baba-led administration had also denied a Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports and the Attorney General, and the Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), accreditation to attend international games but rather accredited “people who should not have been there”.
It also alleged that Mr B.T Baba, Head of the GOC, has also ignored the list of athletes sent to his outfit for accreditation for the Commonwealth Games and had in turn produced a new list of athletes who have not been prepared at the various Associations for the competition.
The Minister has also appealed to the IOC to compel Mr Baba to call for Congress with immediate effect to enable the nation take its rightful place in the National Olympic Movement.
According to the Minister, 16 out of the 18 National Olympic Sports Associations have had their elections duly endorsed by the International Federations, hence the need for the Baba-led administration to call for a Congress to elect a new leadership for the Committee.
The letter stated that despite the elections, Mr Baba has refused to call for Congress for new elections because he does not recognize the recently held elections by the various Associations.
The Minister stated that her outfit is appalled by Mr Baba’s uncooperative attitude, which she said has put the nation to ransom as far as sports development and related activities are concerned.
Mr B. T. Baba, in an interview with GNA Sports, said he is prepared to work with the ministry for the good of sports in Ghana but noted that those seeking his removal from office must use the appropriate channels.
He denied allegations that he had processed accreditation for athletes who have not been prepared for the Commonwealth Games, adding that the list of accredited sports men and women were presented to the GOC by the various Associations.
