A damning audit of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s (GBC) management of the 13th African Games has revealed widespread leadership failures, including threats of industrial action from broadcast workers over inadequate welfare conditions and unilateral reductions to promised allowances.
The audit documented interviews with management staff, union representatives, and deployed crew members, which exposed a pattern of poor internal communication and governance failures.
A significant number of management staff interviewed indicated they were unaware of GBC’s formal involvement in the African Games before and during the event, with some stating they only learned of the corporation’s role after Public Accounts Committee sittings attracted national attention.
The audit found that management initially proposed to support deployed staff with a daily allowance of GH¢200, only to unilaterally reduce this to GH¢50 per day without clear justification or documented agreement with the union.
Following negotiations, the amount was revised to GH¢100 per day, though union records indicated this reduction did not conform to the Collective Agreement governing allowances and commuted payments.
Deployed staff lodged formal complaints regarding inadequate transportation arrangements to and from venues, poor or inconsistent feeding arrangements, and unsatisfactory working conditions.
Camera operators specifically reported being required to stand in direct sunlight from morning until the last game of the day, raising occupational health and safety concerns.
The severity of these welfare concerns prompted formal union threats of a boycott of live coverage, as evidenced by union letters dated 15th March 2024. The audit noted that management responses were largely reactive, issued only after escalation, and did not demonstrate proactive engagement or resolution planning.
Auditors identified additional leadership failures including the absence of a documented staff welfare plan for a high-risk, multi-venue national event, weak labour relations management evidenced by unilateral decisions and delayed negotiations, poor coordination between executive management and operational units, and reputational risk exposure as labour grievances threatened live national broadcasts.
The audit recommended that GBC establish a formal Event Governance Framework for all national assignments, including documented Board approval, executive oversight structures, and internal reporting lines.
It also called for all allowances and event-related remuneration to strictly comply with the applicable Collective Agreement and for management to prepare documented Staff Welfare and Deployment Plans covering transport logistics, feeding arrangements, rest schedules, and occupational health and safety safeguards for future high-risk national events.
