Time has a way of revealing truths, often when little can be done to salvage a situation. Just a week ago, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) was emphatically distancing itself from the thorny issue of Black Stars’ budgets and national team expenditure.
The football governing body claimed its role was limited to drafting budgets, seemingly suggesting that it remained oblivious to their contents.
However, within two working days, new evidence has surfaced, revealing the extent of the GFA’s involvement.
A leaked memo intercepted by JoySports, authored by the GFA’s General Secretary, details the association’s proposed budget for Ghana’s participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
$5.4 Million in Appearance Fees
On November 14, 2022, Black Stars coach Otto Addo named a 26-man squad for the tournament. Each player was set to receive $100,000 as an appearance fee.
However, what Ghanaians did not know was that the GFA had budgeted for an additional 28 individuals to receive appearance fees, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 54.
This amounted to a staggering $5.4 million allocated solely for appearance fees.
Otto Addo’s “Personal Assistant”
Another controversial aspect of the budget was the inclusion of a $20,000 honorarium for Otto Addo’s “Personal Assistant.” The individual, whose identity remains unclear, received the same amount as Ghana’s scouts and the head of delegation for the tournament.
Questionable Plane Ticket Costs
The budget also included a $7,000 cost per player for flights to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where the Black Stars camped before the tournament.
Curiously, the cost was uniform for all players, despite their different departure locations. For instance, captain André Ayew, who was based in Qatar, was allocated the same travel cost as Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, who was flying from Ghana.
Honorarium for the “Purse Holder”
Perhaps the most glaring indicator of financial inconsistencies was the $10,000 honorarium for the “Purse Holder” — the chief spending officer responsible for financial disbursement. This individual was already being paid by the Finance Ministry, raising concerns about duplicative payments.
These revelations raise further questions about transparency in national team expenditure and the level of accountability in Ghana’s football administration.
The full budget details are contained in the document below.
