Govt Sponsors Kwesi Pratt On Jolly Ride To SA

It is confirmed and without doubt that famed, rudderless agitator and leading member of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), Kwesi Pratt Jnr was in South Africa last Friday for the draw of the 2010 World Cup at the expense of the tax payer. The irony of the government sponsored trip is that even though Pratt was a member of the official Ghana government delegation, he was not admitted into the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the venue for the 2010 World Cup draw. Last Friday�s issue of the state-owned Graphic Sports quoting Sports Minister Rashid Pelpuo announced that GFA officials Kwasi Nyantakyi, Fred Pappoe, Kofi Nsiah, Randy Abbey, Randy Abbey, Coach Milo, Pratt, Hon. Stephen M.E.K Ackah, Alhaji Sidiku Sulley and Ben Nunoo Mensah of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) among others were the official government delegation. The Ghanaian Observer (GO) checks and sources in South Africa told GO over the weekend that though Kwesi Pratt was part of the government delegation, he was not admitted into the Westin Hotel and Cullinan Hotel, the official hotel for the event because he did not have accreditation. Sports Minister Rashid Pelpuo, according to our sources had to make alternative arrangements for Pratt to sleep in a Protea hotel. Our sources informed us that Pratt was espied at the precincts of the Cape Town International Conference Center in the company of some others who did not gain admission into the venue whilst the accredited delegates streamed out. GO has picked up that GFA basher Kojo Bonsu (who was not on the government delegation) was also in South Africa but was not present in the room for the draw. The embarrassment created by the Pratt inclusion in the government delegation is most puking as he was added on as an afterthought. FIFA and the Republic of South Africa, according to information available to GO as well as the Republic of South Africa for security reasons had requested for official lists of government delegation latest by 20th November, 2009 for last Friday�s event. Sports Ministry sources told GO that Rashid Pelpuo acted against caution when he directed that Pratt and others should be added to Ghana�s official delegation on the 24th November, 2009, four days after the official list of Ghana�s delegation had been sent to FIFA and the Republic of South Africa. In the end, Kwesi Pratt Jnr went to South Africa at the expense of the taxpayer and yet could not even attend the event, thereby wasting tax payers� money on what was clearly a jolly ride. Yet another question that is begging for answers is whether Pratt is a sports journalist? From the 70s through to the blood and thunder days of the Rawlings PNDC in the 80s, Pratt has been anti-establishment and had never been named as a member of any government delegation. Any government policy has been anathema to Pratt. Pratt arguably may not know the difference between �kick off� and �tee off� as well as �umpire� and �referee.� The Pratt jolly ride to South Africa will be subjected to even more rigorous interrogation in the coming days.