Outraged by unending media probing of the budget for the just ended African Cup of Nations tournament in Equatorial Guinea, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga has chastised Ghanaian journalists telling them to stop asking “useless questions.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”9brc3Qcy4ZV6zWR6Cns7zGIARM9183aQ”]He angrily said on Adom FM that instead of journalists asking questions about the development of sports in Ghana, “sadly you are asking me about…the money that was spent on food.”
“You are using valuable time to discuss useless matters, please, I think that this is very regrettable and it will dampen the spirit of the boys who were trying to kill themselves only to come back and even the food that they ate, they will hear on radio that their minister is [answering questions] about the food that they ate. It’s sad,” the Sports Minister fumed on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem on Thursday.
He argued that since the journalists are not auditors to be probing him on the details of the budget, there was no need for the questions adding that “If I decide to grant you an interview as a minister, I expect you to ask me useful questions…you want to take over the job of the Auditor? Are you the Auditor?”
Mr Ayariga who appeared before Parliament on Wednesday said government spent about $5.717.869 on Ghana’s preparation and participation in the 2015 AFCON tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
The Youth and Sports Minister, revealed that the Ministry spent $4,774,519.19 on preparation and GHC 3,242,580.00 on Ghana’s participation in the AFCON.
Mahama Ayariga added that the Ministry spent $4,774,519.19 on preparation and GHC 3,242,580.00 on Ghana’s participation in the AFCON.
He earlier disclosed on Eyewitness News that his Ministry is not aware of how supporters were airlifted from Ghana to Equatorial Guinea.
“The Ministry of Youth and Sports did not spend a single pesewa to send any fan or supporter to Equatorial Guinea. Not one Ghana cedi was expended by the Ministry of Youth and Sports,” the Minister insisted.
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By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana