The Ministry of Youth and Sports has admitted to Finder Sports that head coach of the Black Stars Kwesi Appiah and his technical team have not been paid since they were appointed some two months.
The issue, according to Finder Sports sources, is due to the standoff between the Ghana Football Association and the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC), who are headline sponsors of the Black Stars
GNPC per the sponsorship contract signed with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) which ends next year, GPNC are responsible for paying the head coach of the Black Stars. The contract saw Avram Grant take home $50,000 every month. In the same vein, GNPC is expected to pick Kwesi Appiah’s salary, which is said to be between $30,000 to $35,000.
Earlier this year, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, condemned the state petroleum firm for using state resources to sponsors the senior national football team alone.
Finder Sports sources indicate that GNPC is under pressure to terminate their sponsorship of the Black Stars. The state-owned oil company have been directed to invest the sponsorship money into Information Communication Technology (ICT) even though the deal has not been officially cancelled.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Elvis Adjei Baah, has disclosed to Finder Sports that the Sports Ministry is working to ensure that the technical team of the Black Stars are paid their salary arrears in the shortest possible time.
“We have made arrangements for the monies to be paid. It is just unfortunate we have to wait for this long. Everything is been done to make sure it is paid. It is quite a process but they will be paid,” he said.
Concerning what has caused the delay in payment the PRO said he has no idea about it, he said, “What I know is that our accountant department are working on it and very soon they will be paid,” he added.
“We must admit is quite unfortunate this problem persists, they should give us some time. I know we are forced to draw comparison with Avram Grant and that is where we don’t want to get to”
“Hopefully when they are paid this problem will not re-occur,” he added
There have been agitations in the media in relation to how fast tracked Avram Grant was paid $50,000 every month by GNPC but Appiah’s salary as well as his technical team is been dragged with paper issues.
Coach Kwesi Appiah unpaid two months after appointment
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