It has been confirmed that Ghana's Presidential Jet was used to ferry $4 million cash to the Black Stars in Brazil during the 2014 World Cup, an act which subjected the country to international ridicule.
Additionally, it was revealed that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) released the $4 million cash on June 21, 2014, which was a Saturday, against the central bank's own working rules.
When news broke about the manner in which the money was sent to the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, where the Black Stars were due to face Christiano Ronaldo-led Portugal, the government insisted it was about $3 million they transported; but the Justice Senyo Dzamefe Commission report has established it was indeed $4 million.
In the final report of the Commission which investigated what led to Ghana's worst-ever performance at a World Cup, the three-member panel said it was President John Mahama who personally ordered the lifting of the cash following the players' revolt over their appearance fees.
The report said the President felt it was becoming an 'embarrassment' to the country and he had to make the order for the cash to be flown.
'On Saturday, June 21, 2014, a total amount of $4m was paid by Bank of Ghana to the Ministry of Youth and Sports agent in the presence of the Chief Director, Alhaji Abdulai Yakubu, Chief Accountant, Mr Prosper Apasu and an official of National Security.'
The report said the $4m was to be lifted upon withdrawal from the central bank, but there were challenges with respect to flight arrangements and it persisted till Monday, June 23, 2014, even though Ghana was scheduled to play Portugal on June 26, 2014.
'The President of the Republic had no choice but to release the Presidential Jet to lift $4 million cash so as to make sure the players received the money before the Portugal match,' the report said.
According to the report, documents tendered during in-camera hearings with the Ministry of Youth and Sports showed that an amount of $3,877,500 was disbursed, leaving an outstanding balance of $122,500 in the custody of the ministry.
The report said the ministry's officials should be made to account for the outstanding balance of $122,500.
All along, the NDC government created the impression that the amount lifted to Brazil was less than $4 million and the jet used was never mentioned, with speculations that it was a chartered flight.
President Mahama, after the incident, was quoted by Bloomberg, a reputable global business and finance news outlet, as saying that flying $3 million to the team was 'necessary'.
According to Bloomberg, President Mahama, whose government relied on the central bank to pay its bills last quarter, had sent the jet with more than $3 million to Brasilia to prevent a possible boycott of the game against Portugal.
'I believe valuable lessons were learned by all,' President Mahama said in an e-mailed response to questions from Bloomberg News.
'There was a problem with the initial mode of transportation for the payment and so we made other arrangements that, while unconventional, were necessary.'
The Black Stars' behaviour off the field overshadowed Ghana's three games in Brazil.
Defender John Boye was seen kissing a stack of money in a hotel after it arrived by armed escort, according to Rio de Janeiro-based Globo TV.
Boye scored an own-goal in the game against Portugal as Ghana went on to lose 2-1.
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