PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Ghana president suspends two sports officials over Commonwealth Games visa scandal
Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has suspended two senior officials of the Ministry of Sports and National Sports Authority following a scandal in which about 60 Ghanaians attempted to enter Australia for the Commonwealth Games as journalists.
A government statement said the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide and the acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Robert Sarfo Mensah, have been suspended following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of the Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences.
The statement said that the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Ben Nunoo Mensah and other officials who are with Ghana’s team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been recalled to assist in investigations currently being undertaken by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service.
Both Mr Hadzide and Mr Sarfo Mensah have welcomed the president's action and said they are innocent.
“My understanding of the preliminary investigation does not mean that I have done anything wrong," Mr Hadzide said. "If you ask who was in charge of the International Games Committee, I was the one, so for me that is enough basis for me to be asked to stand aside for investigations to commence.”
The acting NSA Director-General, Robert Sarfo Mensah said, “I respect the decision of the President… I think stepping aside will allow Ghanaians to give due credibility to the investigative team.”
-0- PANA MA 12April2018
A government statement said the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide and the acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Robert Sarfo Mensah, have been suspended following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of the Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences.
The statement said that the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Ben Nunoo Mensah and other officials who are with Ghana’s team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been recalled to assist in investigations currently being undertaken by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service.
Both Mr Hadzide and Mr Sarfo Mensah have welcomed the president's action and said they are innocent.
“My understanding of the preliminary investigation does not mean that I have done anything wrong," Mr Hadzide said. "If you ask who was in charge of the International Games Committee, I was the one, so for me that is enough basis for me to be asked to stand aside for investigations to commence.”
The acting NSA Director-General, Robert Sarfo Mensah said, “I respect the decision of the President… I think stepping aside will allow Ghanaians to give due credibility to the investigative team.”
-0- PANA MA 12April2018
