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After the tears of last week, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah was in total control of himself on Monday at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the happenings of Brazil 2014.
The former minister confronted the commissioners, tackled unfriendly media reportage and pursued an agenda against his detractors.
Tears were very far away on day eight of the hearings.
Who sent back the cash?
Almost 9 million Ghana cedis was given to the Sports Ministry for preparations for the Brazil 2014 effort, and despite many public rumours to the contrary, the former minister clarified that over four million cedis is still available.
“So this is from the ministry – the money which was left. We were given almost nine million [cedis] for the tournament. We didn’t use all of it. So up to the point where we got to and the monies we used, this is the balance left: 4,444,053 [cedis].”
However, the commission wanted to know the status of a mysterious return of 500,000 cedis.
The chairman of the commission hinted that those monies had been refunded after the commission was set up.
“You have no idea that some monies have been refunded – paid back – to the bank after this commission was set up?”
“My Lord,” came the reply from the former sports minister, “I don’t. This is all that I know. At the point I finished, this is all the information I have.”
Ladies and gentlemen: the spectacles are off from Elvis’ eyes. Questioning gets a bit more pointed and heated. pic.twitter.com/c13DlRkEHS
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) August 25, 2014
Elvis demands right to fairness
Not long after the sitting started at 10am, the ex-minister’s spectacles came off.
He was not happy.
Much of the first two hours had been spent going through expenses made by the Brazil 2014 planning committee, notably in areas of air travel, accommodation and tickets.
Moses Foh-Amoaning, member of the three-man commission, in going through the notes portion of the accounts Afriyie-Ankrah had tendered in as evidence, consistently quoted figures in old Ghana cedis.
“My lord, we no longer use old Ghana cedis. That creates the impression that it is a very huhudious [astronomical] amount. That’s what the media has been doing and I’m gonna make a complaint about that. You know, they change the figures into billions and make it look [more than it looks]. I don’t think it is fair.”
Later, the issues of interpretation of accounts came up again and Afriyie Ankrah had cause to question the style of interrogation of the commissioners.
Foh-Amoaning had been zeroing in on figures the former youth and sports minister seemed unsure of, because (as Elvis said) he did not want to “say something that is not very concrete” and told the commissioners that the “appropriate committee chairmen to answer.”
Foh-Amoaning went on to point out, again, that the figures being mentioned as having been expended by the sports ministry sounded frightening to the ordinary Ghanaian, especially when thought of in old cedis.
“If the documents are examined, and there are questions and those who did it directly are asked and are not able to answer, then I can be asked. This is the difficulty I have.”
Moses Foh-Amoaning responded wryly: “You’re virtually telling us what we should do. Anyway, I don’t agree with you…”
Elvis cut in: “No, my lord! With respect, you just said that this is a court of law whose findings are equivalent to the judgment of a court. My life, my rights [and] everything is at stake here so when I feel strongly about something I believe I should put it out there.”
Elvis hits back at the commissioners. Subtly accuses them of unfairness to him in framing questions. “It creates a certain -ve impression”
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) August 25, 2014
Get Songo here!
It was clear that media reportage sat big on the former minister’s mind, as he constantly referred to what he felt was unfair coverage of the proceedings.
Monday’s edition of the Herald newspaper had carried a story imputing wrongdoing by deception from Afriyie Ankrah, and he plead with the commission to invite the paper’s editor to prove the allegation.
The paper alleged that the breakdown of the expenses offered by the former minister last week were incorrect and presented to deceive the general public.
It also repeated rumours that strongly linked the former sports minister in sexual escapades in Brazil with popular female musician, Becca.
And then he rounded on popular radio show host from Asempa FM.
“My Lord all kinds of things have been reported about me in the media including this report. There is a radio station with a presenter named Fireman and he has alleged that I have spent money even before the budget was approved. All these people should be brought before the Commission to share their evidence,” Afriyie Ankrah said.
Foh-Amoaning has been a known critic of the presenter in question, Patrick Osei Agyemang, who goes by the alias Countryman Songo.
Who takes blame for Brazil failure? Elvis: “It depends”. Says blame must be jointly & severally shared but leader must take responsibility.
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) August 25, 2014
Sabotage?
During the cross examination, Afriyie Ankrah was asked, after he had catalogued how frustrating fundraising and other aspects of the Brazil had gone, if he suspected sabotage from certain quarters.
It took him a full minute to answer to answer Foh-Amoaning.
“There are some aspects of this whole drama that does not make sense but we will talk in chambers,” he told the commission.
Elvis insisted that the people he presided over did their very best, speaking passionately about why some things may or may not have worked.
- Dentaa Amoateng is Asamoah Gyan’s publicist
Who is Dentaa?
A name that came up during the day was Dentaa Amoateng.
A UK-based media practitioner and better known as the owner of the GUBA franchise that organizes awards and events, Dentaa is also among the management team of Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan.
Afriyie Ankrah mentioned her in his evidence as having been part of one of the sub-committees, prompting Justice Dzamefe to ask where she can be found.
“My Lord she was based in the UK but we contacted her when she came for a visit to run the secretariat,” Afriyie Ankrah said.
The former minister said she would be available upon request.
A word on the tears…
A section of the public has been cynical about last Thursday’s sensational episode when Afriyie Ankrah wept during cross examination.
Foh-Amoaning asked him about the public perception that his tears had been a charade.
“My lord, we have 25 million Ghanaians [and] people are entitled to their views…You were here and you saw what happened…Before God and man it was not planned, it was not premeditated…I don’t even know how it started…Never in my wildest imagination will I think of doing something like that [crying in public]…It wasn’t a difficult question but it triggered the emotions,” he explained.
Appearance fees – again
The question that would never go away was addressed again, but this time the former minister was asked if he thought appearance fees for players and officials was merited.
Elvis recommended that “a broader [public] discussion” be held on the matter in order “to listen to arguments for maintaining the status quo and arguments against, I will then be in a better position to say this is my position.”
He also reiterated the explanations that GFA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi has consistently proffered.
“My understanding is that the money given officials is based on seven people. It is not as if each [official takes the same amount as the players].”
The sittings continue on Tuesday, with the expected appearance of Fred Darko, who was in charge of the planning committee for Brazil 2014.
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By: Gary Al-Smith/citifmonline.com/Ghana