Findings from 2023 African Games shocking and staggering – Anti-corruption campaigner

An anti-corruption campaigner, Edem Senanu, has described findings emerging from investigations into the 2023 African Games as “shocking and staggering,” warning that the scale of alleged financial irregularities points to possible systemic lapses beyond a few individuals.

According to him, the nature of the suspected financial crimes suggests coordinated actions involving multiple actors within the administrative and financial chain of the Games’ organisation.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Tuesday, May 26, he argued that the issue should not be viewed as involving only a handful of named individuals, but rather a wider network of actors who may have contributed to the alleged mismanagement.

“The scope of the financial crimes, the magnitude, is so shocking and staggering. It’s almost like this was a scheme,” he said.

The anti-corruption campaigner expressed concern that accountability efforts may be too narrowly focused on a few officials, insisting that a broader investigation is needed to uncover all possible contributors to the alleged financial discrepancies.

He suggested that such schemes, if confirmed, may have involved activities such as questionable procurement processes, improper cash withdrawals, failure to properly lodge funds, and inflated invoicing.

Read also: Officials invited and questioned on 2023 African Games ‘scandal’ – President Mahama

According to him, limiting scrutiny to only a few officeholders risks missing other stakeholders who may have played enabling roles in the financial chain. “It could not just be these three, four, five people. There had to be a whole host of other people participating,” he argued.

The remarks come amid ongoing public debate over financial accountability in the organisation of the 2023 African Games, with attention focusing on expenditure oversight and procurement transparency.

The Games, held in Accra in March 2024, were tainted by allegations of financial mismanagement and potential corruption, with $245 million allegedly spent on the event.

An additional $15 million was reportedly spent on feeding athletes and officials, while $4.5 million was allocated to the games management system and accreditation tags.

Among those previously mentioned in public discussions are individuals associated with the Ministry of Sports, the Local Organising Committee, and other state agencies involved in the planning and execution of the event.

However, the campaigner stressed that his concerns are based on emerging findings and public discourse, and called for comprehensive investigations to ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable if wrongdoing is established.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)