General News
Tribe Culture Fest Denies Alleged US$611,000 Payment Scandal, Challenges Sports Minister to Provide Evidence
Tribe Culture Fest has categorically denied allegations that it illegally received US$611,000 and failed to refund the amount, following claims attributed to the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams.
In a statement released on October 12, 2026, the festival’s Chief Executive Officer, Nana Boateng Gyimah, described the allegations as unfounded and challenged the minister to provide documentary evidence to support his claims.
The statement, issued under the heading “Response to the Sports Minister’s Allegations,” stressed that neither Gyimah nor Tribe Culture Fest illegally received US$611,000 from any private individual in connection with the arrangements under discussion.
“For the record, Tribe Culture’s agreement was solely with the National Sports Authority and Ghana Tourism Authority. Tribe Culture Fest nor I received the alleged US$611,000 from any private individual in connection with the arrangements in question,” the statement said.
The organisation maintained that its dealings relating to the matter were conducted through agreements with the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), disputing any suggestion that it received the money through an unauthorised private arrangement.
In its response, Tribe Culture Fest challenged the Sports Minister to produce evidence to substantiate the allegations.
The organisation called for any agreement, authorisation or consent involving the minister or Tribe Culture Fest that could establish the alleged financial arrangement.
It also demanded verifiable payment records showing who paid the money, who received it, when the payment was made and how the minister arrived at the figure of US$611,000.
According to the statement, such evidence is necessary to establish the facts surrounding the allegations and prevent what it considers to be unsupported claims from damaging the organisation’s reputation.
Calls for Minister and GTA Boss to Step Aside
Reacting to the controversy, media personality Kofi Ofosu Nkansah argued that the Sports Minister and the head of the Ghana Tourism Authority should step aside to allow investigations into the matter to proceed.
In a Facebook post accompanying Tribe Culture Fest’s statement, Nkansah said the festival had denied taking the US$611,000 allegedly mentioned by the minister.
He further argued that the minister and the GTA boss should not remain in positions that could raise questions about the independence of any investigation into the matter.
Nkansah also accused the officials of continuing to vindicate Hon. Vincent Assafuah, suggesting that an independent investigation was necessary to establish the facts.
However, the call for the minister and the GTA boss to step aside represents Nkansah’s position on the controversy and should not be treated as an established finding of wrongdoing.
Tribe Culture Fest warned that its reputation and integrity should not be undermined by allegations it considers unsubstantiated.
The organisation called on the Sports Minister either to substantiate the claims with credible evidence or withdraw them and correct the public record.
It also indicated that it was prepared to involve its lawyers if necessary, signalling the possibility of further action should the dispute remain unresolved.
The statement was signed by Nana Boateng Gyimah, Chief Executive Officer of Tribe Culture Fest.
The Outstanding Questions
The controversy centres on the alleged US$611,000 payment and the circumstances surrounding the financial arrangements involving the organisations concerned.
While Tribe Culture Fest has firmly denied receiving the money from a private individual, the public dispute has raised questions about the agreements involving the National Sports Authority and the Ghana Tourism Authority, as well as the evidence behind the minister’s allegations.
As of the release of the statement on October 12, 2026, Tribe Culture Fest’s response represents its position on the matter. The minister’s supporting evidence, any further response from the Ghana Tourism Authority and the outcome of any investigation were not included in the statement.
The matter is therefore likely to remain a subject of public interest until the parties provide further documentation or an independent investigation establishes what happened.