Danger Looms At State-Owned Stadiums

Worrying information reaching The Herald indicates that, some private security companies, who have been providing twenty-four hours protection for the country�s various stadia and sports facilities across the country, have been left hungry for over four years now. Documents cited by The Herald revealed that, the security companies have not been paid since November 20011, forcing owners of the companies to issue threatening messages to withdraw their services and take legal actions against the state. The total amount owed the two private security companies, Magnum Force Security Ltd and Scones Security Ltd, The Herald gathered is running into millions of Ghana cedis. The two provide security for all the four national stadiums namely; Accra Sports Stadium, Baba Yara, Esipong and Tamale Stadium, protecting human life and national assets. This revelation comes in the wake of recent expos�s by the President of Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyatakyi that the government of Ghana is not paying Black Stars and other national football team coaches, as the country has been made to believe. This paper is reliably informed that several efforts by the management of the security agencies to get the monies paid by the National Sports Authority (NSA) proved futile, as officials at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, have turned deaf ears on the matter. But fresh report gathered by The Herald indicates that lawyers of one of the companies, Magnum Force Security Ltd, have written officially to the Attorney General, asking them to immediately do something about the issue. They threatened that, failure by the Attorney General to advise the state, will compel their client to drag the state to court. The Herald�s information is that, Magnum Force Security Ltd�s unpaid allowance alone, has accumulated to the tune of a staggering GH�740, 000 for over a period of four years, which includes taxes and social security for the company�s workers. A letter intercepted by The Herald, dated June 11, 20014 and titled �Request For Payment of Outstanding Claims Funds For Payment of Security Companies�, addressed to the Minister of Finance through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, revealed that a whopping � GH412, 183.00� was owed the security companies from November 20011 to December 2012 alone. The letter with Ref: NSC/HQ.1/SF.48 on the letterhead of the NSA was written and signed by Alice Attipoe, the Acting Director General of NSA. The letter said, �please refer to the approval letter with reference No. VF. 102/242/01 dated 31st May, 2002 issued by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, a copy of which is attached for ease of reference�. �In addition, we forward herewith, the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (GIFMIS) platform for your perusal and necessary action�. According to the letter, �this request was part of the undercharged commitment at the Ministry of Finance for 2013. The amount should be charged against NSA 2014 vote�. It said, �the National Sports Authority expresses great appreciation for your continued support over the years�. Currently, Management of Magnum Force Security Ltd, The Herald learnt is in a serious financial crisis and has to take loans from banks or look for money elsewhere, before it pays its employees across the country. The same company is looking for money to also pay taxes to the government, as well as settle the social contributions for its staff.