Ghana received ¢103.7bn for 2006 World Cup.

Backpage November 3, 2007
Story: Kweku Tsen & Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah.
GHANA received about ¢103.7 billion as contributions from individuals, organisations and FIFA in connection with its participation in the 2006 World Cup Tournament in Germany in 2006, the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Professor Dominic Fobih, told Parliament yesterday.
According to him, total amounts realised included ¢5.641 billion as donations in local currency or cedis; $5.576 million in United States dollars and 300,000 euros.
Prof. Fobih, who said this in an answer to a question from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chiana-Paga, Mr Abuga Pele, explained that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) received $4.9 million as prize money from FIFA after the 2006 World Cup.
The MP had asked the minister to shed light on the number, names and sponsors and the amount each sponsor contributed towards the FIFA World Cup tournament in Germany in 2006.
The minister further explained that the contributions included those mobilised by Ghana’s Missions abroad, which amounted to $3.777 million.
Prof. Fobih said following meetings with the ministries of Education, Science and Sports, and Finance, $2.5 million was transferred to the Ministry of Finance as part of refund of monies advanced by the government to the Black Stars while in Germany.
In another development, the MP for Mfantseman East, Mr George Kuntu Blankson, asked the minister to explain the criteria used in distributing Tata buses to schools and colleges in the country.
Replying, Prof. Fobih pointed out that it was the policy of the ministry to ensure that all schools, universities and colleges had buses to enhance their operations.
He said to ease the transportation difficulties at the various university campuses and teacher training colleges, the ministry allocated 10 buses to the five public universities and 38 buses to the 38 teacher training colleges throughout the country.
“In furtherance of this policy, the ministry has put in place measures to ensure that second cycle institutions which are not well endowed and have a good number of day students benefited from the allocation,” he said.
The MP for Techiman North, Mr Alex Kyeremeh, also asked the minister what measures his ministry had put in place to improve rural senior secondary schools which were not selected for upgrading and according to him were in deplorable conditions.
Responding, the minister said the ministry had an elaborate plan to improve facilities in all senior secondary schools in the country.
He said provision was made annually in the ministry’s budget including that of GETfund to cater for secondary schools which did not benefit from the upgrading programme.
Prof. Fobih explained that in allocating resources, emphasis was always placed on deprived secondary schools especially community schools with major infrastructure deficits.
“In the 2007 budget, for example, basic infrastructure such as classrooms, dormitories, science laboratories and libraries were improved or provided in 103 out of about 250 deprived secondary schools,” he said.
The minister said it was his firm conviction that such allocations to the deprived schools would go a long way to bring up such schools to an acceptable level and make them attractive to both parents and students.