AFCON 2017: Ghana players unpaid by government after victory over Mauritius, Black Stars return to dark ages

Ghana's national team the Black Stars could be returning to the dark ages of when they failed to even qualify for major tournaments as the issue of false promises by government for players is rearing its ugly head with players unpaid for three weeks now.

The entire squad of the senior national team who recently thrashed their Mauritius counterparts 7-1 in Accra in an Africa Nations Cup qualifier, have for the past three weeks been chasing officials for their bonuses.

This is the first time in ten years that players have not been paid their match winning bonuses which previously affected the national team and could not qualify even for tournaments like the Africa Cup of Nations.

Each player is still guaranteed a $10,000 bonus, but since June 14, the Ghana Football Association and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have maintained a stony silence over the bonuses, a situation which sources say is becoming frustrating to the players.

Graphic Sports sources yesterday revealed that the amount said to be hovering around $370,000 for some strange reasons is yet to be approved by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

However, it is emerging that the ministry appeared to be in a dilemma over honorarium for management members following government’s White Paper on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Ghana’s participation at the 2014 World Cup.

The White Paper accepted the recommendations that declared that some officials, including Mr. George Afriyie, should not go anywhere near the various national teams.

Indeed, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ahmed, is on record to have defended the position of the White Paper and declared his readiness to abide by it.

Attempts to reach the Minister and his deputy, Oppong Asamoah, on reports that the ministry had struck out the honorarium for management members proved futile.

Meanwhile, the offices of the Ghana Football Association continue to be besieged by relatives and managers of the players in demand of their bonuses.

The issue of government's failed promises is what led to the revolt by players at the World Cup in Brazil and if promises are still being made and not fulfilled it looks like the national team could be heading for another disgrace.

Source: Graphic Sports