Commission of Inquiry REVEALS: Ghanaian stars blow GH¢69,945 in Brazil

• Posted on June 29, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Ghanaian celebrities who were sent to Brazil as ambassadors for the main purpose of promoting Ghana at the tournament collected a total amount of GH¢69,945, the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Black Stars participation into the World Cup tournament has revealed.

The amount included GH¢57,375 as per diem and an additional US$ 4,190 (at a cedi-dollar rate of GH¢12,570) on their feeding and accommodation.

The report, however, did not state the number of ambassadors who eventually made it to Brazil and how much each took as per diem.

The Sports Ministry was also unable to furnish Weekend Finder with the names of the celebrities who made it to Brazil to entertain supporters at the World Cup fiesta.

Prior to Ghana’s participation at the World Cup, the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) unveiled a number of celebrities including ex-football stars as ambassadors whose duty was to champion Ghana’s off-the-field campaign at the tournament.

They included musicians, actors and actresses such as Becca, John Dumelo , Jackie Appiah, Gyedu Blay Ambolley , Amandzeba Nat Brew,  Shatta Wale, Grace Ashy, and Nana Ama McBrown.

Others were football icons C.K. Akonnor, Tony Baffoe, Abedi Ayew Pele, Stephen Appiah, Anthony Baffoe, Kwame Ayew, Augustine Ahinful, Samuel Osei Kufour, Tony Yeboah, Azumah Nelson and Ali Jarrah, among others whose names were not given out by the Ministry.

MoYS had explained that the ambassadors were expected to use their iconic status to promote Ghana and raise funds for several outlined projects including taking supporters to Brazil for the World Cup.

The celebrities who made it to the tournament including actor John Dumelo, said their main purpose of promoting Ghana at the tournament was achieved greatly.

John Dumelo who had vehemently defended the work of the ambassadors in their fund raising activities against all criticism maintained earlier that in spite of some organisational challenges, he would grade the entire trip seven, on a scale of one to 10.

According to him, the ambassadors were able to raise over US$2milion.

As it appears, the controversies surrounding the real contribution of the celebrities who were sponsored to Brazil is not going to die down any time soon.

By: Daniel NONOR , Accra