Ghana’s Youth and Sports Minister, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed has broken his silence over the widely reported flying of over $200,000 cash to Rwanda by his ministry to pay disgruntled Black Stars players.
With pressure mounting on his ministry for a blatant breach of the Dzamefe Commission recommendation, the Ayawaso East MP admitted that monies were indeed flown to Kigali to pay the players but was quick to add that he never carried the dollars bills himself.
The minister, however, failed to disclose the identity of the official who was in charge of the transportation of the monies from Accra to Kigali.
“But you know that even if there’s something like that, it is not me who will carry it because I don’t handle the money.
“Perhaps it is the sort of relationship that I’m trying to forge between myself and the team so I will say that I’m happy they are warm towards me and I want to assure them that I will always be by their side,” he said.
The Black Stars were owed winning bonuses for the Mauritius drubbing going into the Rwanda game and the sports ministry was shaken by reports that players had threatened a boycott of the Rwanda game if they were not settled.
What is more bewildering about the situation which gets one into overthink is the fact that, if the money meant for the settling of arrears was available, why was payment not done in Accra, but cash flown to Kigali in an apparent breach of the commission’s recommendations.
In June 2014, Ghana availed itself for global ridicule following the nation’s government’s decision to intercede to make sure its players’ appearance fees (in cash) arrive in Brazil ahead of the crucial Portugal game.
Ghana chartered a flight to Brazil stocked with more than $3 million in cash for its World Cup soccer players.
The weird move, which headlined Ghana’s shambolic World Cup campaign led to the setting up of a presidential commission of inquiry chaired by respected appeals court judge, Justice Senyor Dzamefe.
But the recent move by the sports ministry could court public outcry at the ministry which is suffering from an already bruised reputation.
