Veteran Ghanaian musician Lucky Mensah has alleged that match tickets designated for fans during Ghana’s games in the United States were intentionally hoarded and resold at exorbitant prices.
The musician claimed that an artificial shortage was deliberately created to allow individuals involved in the scheme to inflate ticket prices and profit off stranded supporters.
According to him, several Ghanaians who traveled long distances to support the national team were denied entry into the stadium due to the artificial scarcity.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sir Richoe on As It Is In Ghana on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM Ghana and Rainbow Radio 92.4FM UK, he revealed that tickets originally priced at $350 were being marked up significantly.
“An artificial shortage was created so that those who were involved in the scandal could sell the tickets for over $800—tickets that were supposed to be sold at $350,” he stated.
He lamented that even with money in hand, acquiring a ticket proved almost impossible for ordinary fans. He noted that despite being prepared to pay as much as $500, he and several others were still unable to secure passes to the match.
“I personally informed Kofi Adams that we needed tickets, but he told me the tickets were finished. At the same time, the tickets were being sold at outrageous prices,” he disclosed.
The highlife musician expressed disappointment over the official denials regarding the situation, describing the response as unfortunate given what fans actually experienced on the ground. He maintained that he would not level such serious allegations if the incident had not occurred.
“The tickets were sold between $800 and $1,500, and it was difficult to bargain the prices with those who sold the tickets,” he added.
When asked whether key leadership—including Sports Minister Kofi Adams and Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku—were aware of the racketeering, the musician stopped short of placing direct blame on them.
“That I cannot confirm. I cannot tell if they were aware or not, but tickets were sold between $800 and $1,500,” he noted.
Lucky Mensah has consequently appealed to relevant authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the ticket sales scandal and bring all perpetrators to book.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana