Starrfmonline.com has obtained the comprehensive list of journalists from across the various media houses in the country who received accreditation from the Local Organising Committee to cover the just ended Commonwealth Games in Australia.
The list which contains 71 names has been the center of controversy as reports suggest that many of the individuals whose names appeared on it but could not turn up, were replaced by fake people for the games.
The development triggered the embarrassing scene where over 50 supposed Ghanaian journalists were deported by the Australian authorities after they failed to prove that they were journalists.
As a result, deputy Sports minister Pius Enam Hadzide and the acting Director General of the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo Mensah have been suspended by President Akufo-Addo.
Starr FM’s Michael Insiah who secured an accreditation as shown on the list was unable to make the trip.
Starrfmonline.com investigations also uncovered that officials sent fake people to Australia to participate in Beach Volley Ball, a sporting discipline, Ghana did not qualify.
Documents available to Starrfmonline.com indicate that 11 people detained and later deported to Ghana arrived in the Oceania country claiming they were athletes to participate in beach volleyball.
Ghana failed to qualify for Beach Volleyball for the Commonwealth Games in 2017. Even though the so called athletes had genuine visas, the Australian authorities suspected they were in the country for a different mission.
Investigations also uncovered that the President of the Ghana Volleyball Association Paul Atchoe who doubles as the 1st Vice President of the Ghana Olympics Committee attached two people –Martin and Sampson Atchoe – suspected to be his relatives to the team.
Aside facilitating some fake journalists to emplane to Australia, the GOC also added fake people to the swimming team. Fake officials were also added to the swimming team for the event.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5fm
