20100601
Reuters

Ghana's president John Evans Atta Mills has ordered cabinet ministers and other government appointees of the West African country not to travel to South Africa to watch the 2010 World Cup. He said apart from those directly in charge of sports, all the others must stay in Ghana during the tournament.

“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.
However, President Mills will be at the tournament to watch Ghana’s opening match at the invitation of South African President Jacob Zuma.
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.