GBC Unions Demand Director-General's Removal Over GHS 580 Million Audit Findings

Staff unions at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) have demanded the immediate suspension or dismissal of its Director-General, Professor Amin Alhassan.

This demand follows a forensic audit that identified GH₵580 million in financial, procurement, and governance breaches related to GBC's role in the 13th African Games, Accra 2023. The Senior Management Staff Union and the Divisional Union of GBC submitted a petition to the National Media Commission (NMC) on June 1, 2026.

The unions cited a 700-page audit report by the Ghana Audit Service as the basis for their demand. This report detailed widespread cost inflation, irregular payments, and unsupported expenditures across contracts for the African Games. This situation highlights ongoing concerns about financial accountability within state-owned enterprises and public project management in Ghana, impacting public finance integrity.

The petition, signed by Ebenezer Odzawo for the Senior Management Staff Union and Sam Nat Kevor for the Divisional Union, directly implicates Professor Alhassan. They allege diversion of funds, non-compliance with procurement rules, and financial loss to the state. The unions previously complained to the NMC about corporate governance issues and financial mismanagement, according to their statement.

The unions urged the NMC to instruct Prof. Alhassan to step aside immediately. They requested a full forensic audit of GBC's finances from October 2019 to May 2026. They also called for independent investigations into all allegations of impropriety and corruption. The unions warned of lawful industrial action if the NMC fails to act by June 4, 2026.

The audit report specifically notes GBC engaged several service providers without explicit written contracts. These included The Production Room, Silicon House Productions, and Broadstem Co Ltd, for services totaling about GH₵3.56 million. Auditors found no signed contracts or legal agreements to define terms, scope, deliverables, or pricing. They recommended sanctions under the Public Procurement Act.

Concerns also arose about the timing of procurement approvals. Requests for ratification from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) were submitted only after the Games concluded. Auditors found approvals for single-source procurement were sought months after contracts were executed. This contradicts the principle of prior approval required under public procurement rules. The report also found no evidence of price benchmarking or market surveys.

Among key contracts highlighted was a €2,056,534 agreement with PGS for the International Broadcast Centre. Another was a $1 million contract with Quality Media Producciones S.L. for broadcast production services. Despite these contracts, GBC staff were extensively deployed for technical and editorial work, without revenue-sharing or reimbursement arrangements with the external firms. This created a risk of revenue leakage and financial loss to the state.

The audit also criticized a €57,030 training contract with The Production Room. This contract lacked evidence of competition, needs assessment, or value-for-money analysis. Payment was made in advance without safeguards on deliverables. Auditors found no training schedules, attendance sheets, or completion certificates, deeming it wasteful expenditure.

Furthermore, GBC management failed to effectively commercialize broadcast rights for the Games. The Local Organising Committee projected $5,000,000 from these rights. However, only two broadcast licenses were secured, generating $45,000. GBC itself spent $3,600,000 on broadcast-related costs. SuperSport, a major international broadcaster, reportedly transmitted the Games without paying a license fee, and no justification was provided. Auditors concluded this resulted in a substantial revenue loss for the state, impacting public finances directly.