Mohammed Aminu Lamptey, Communications Director of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), has addressed circulating rumors about the repatriation of the late Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju, who tragically passed away in Ghana in March this year.
The body was airlifted today, June 17, from Kotoka International Airport and is en route to Lagos, Nigeria, with a brief stopover scheduled in Lomé, Togo.
It had been speculated that the Ministry of Youth and Sports supported the GBA financially in handling the boxer’s return to Nigeria and other related matters.
However, speaking on the “Univers Sports” show with Martin Achoanya, the renowned boxing communicator firmly denied those claims, clarifying that the Ministry did not provide any funds for the repatriation process.
“The Sports Minister told us to hold on with the process because the committee was still investigating. After they were done, we thought they would give us some help, but they didn’t. We had to pay for everything ourselves—the autopsy report, the casket for the late boxer, and also the repatriation of the body back to Nigeria,” he said.
Mr. Lamptey further stated that the GBA provided $3,000 to the late boxer’s family as financial support and assured the public that a detailed report would be made available once the body arrives safely in Nigeria.
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Story by: John Foh|univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by: Pius Asack
