Ghana's president John Atta Mills has banned all ministers and state appointees, excluding those directly in charge of sports, from attending this month's World Cup in South Africa.
Any Minister of State whose work has no direct link with football and is planning to go to the World Cup will have to change plans.
This is because President Mills has ordered that all his Cabinet ministers and other appointees, apart from those directly in charge of sports, should stay in Ghana during tournament.
However, President Mills will be at the tournament to watch Ghana’s opening match at the invitation of South African President Jacob Zumah.
“The President’s directive is in line with the fact that government business must continue while the World Cup is running,†Koku Anyidoho, Director of Communications at the Castle, said and warned “appropriate sanctions†will be applied.
Public schools and many government institutions have been closed in South Africa as a result of the tourney.
Meanwhile Ghana will later Tuesday play the Netherlands in the first of two friendly matches in Holland.
Source: Myjoyonline