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The organisation alleged abuse of office and conflict of interest by Alhaji Muntaka when he took office as Minister of Youth and Sports. It further accused him of fraud, after he allegedly used false information to secure a German visa for his girlfriend, Ms Edith Zineuali, together with using the Ministry’s (Youth and Sports) resources to finance their trip to watch the CHAN tournament held in Cote d’Ivoire last year.
According to the PNF, in a petition dated January 1st, 2010 and signed by its spokesperson, Richard Kwesi Nyamah, to CHRAJ, Alhaji Muntaka had till date, failed to produce receipt of US$10,000 he received from some government officials, upon his request to settle landing charges for the aircraft the local national team used for the CHAN tournament.
Muntaka is also blamed for an irregular transaction he executed to secure an amount of GH¢1,410,051.58 from the National Sports Council, for its expenditure incurred in April, 2009, without being processed through the Office of the Chief of Staff.
“Detailed actual receipts, which should have been processed through the office of the Chief of Staff, were not attached, but Alhaji Muntaka signed a covering letter addressed to the Hon. Minister of Finance for the release of the amount. It was an irregular transaction, which the minister knowingly signed,” noted Kwesi Nyamah in the petition to CHRAJ.
The PNF also questioned the conduct Alhaji Muntaka in personally arranging for the accommodation of the Black Stars players and officials in Navaisha, Kenya, in a pre-match camping against Sudan, without the involvement of any other official of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Alhaji Muntaka was also reported to have done the same in Khartoum, Sudan.
He was also accused of wrongful act, for requesting a refund of GH¢674.02 in respect of baby oil, baby food, mouth wash and other household items from the imprest cashier of the ministry.
In addition, the former Youth and Sports Minister was cited for wrongful act, by requesting for a refund of GH¢15,200 with a receipt in the name of Zinabu Mubarak, in respect of meat and other food items purchased from the market.
Again, he was accused for collecting US$25,000, but released only US$13,000 to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), for the payment of protocol, when the GFA had actually spent US$18,000 on the exercise.
Furthermore, the PNF accused Alhaji Muntaka of requesting GH¢1,000 for the services of a ‘Mallam,’ and also allocating a VW Passat, with registration number GT 1351 Z, to his wife.
He is also accused for requesting a payment of GH¢12,000 for the purchase of gifts for his constituency, on a trip to Kumasi.
The petitioner is claiming, among other things, a declaration that the former minister indeed abused his office, and engaged in acts of conflict of interest for his personal gain, at the expense of the Republic of Ghana.
The PNF is again seeking a declaration that the former minister abused the trust the people of the Republic of Ghana reposed in him, and his oath of office. It is also seeking that criminal charges are preferred against the former minister, where he has been found to have acted in a fraudulent way.
It will be recalled that in June 2009, Mr. Adim Odoom, Principal Accountant of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, petitioned the President of the Republic of Ghana, on allegations of corruption against Alhaji Muntaka when he was in charge of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
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