Government bows to Black Stars pressure

The Ministry of Youth and Sports was yesterday forced to cough up $3 million to settle the appearance fees for agitating Black Stars players who demanded the money before they made the trip from their Maceio base to Brasilia for their final preparation ahead of tomorrow’s group decider with Portugal.

In a disturbing twist to the build-up to the Portugal game, the President John Dramani Mahama was forced into the fray as he made a quick call to Brazil to assure the players of the government’s readiness to accede to their demands. 

Coming barely 24 hours before Ghana face Portugal in the defining moment of their 2014 World Cup campaign in Brazil, the ministry finally agreed to make available the whopping amount in cash by transfer.

Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Joseph Yammin, told the Graphic Sports yesterday that the money had been released to be dispatched to the team. It was learned that each player will receive $100,000 as appearance fees.

He explained that the delay was occasioned by a disagreement over the mode of payment, as the ministry wanted to use the banks to pay the money into the players’ individual accounts, a payment option the players rejected and demanded cash.

Indeed, a source close to the Stars camp indicated that the team’s sponsor, uniBank, was made responsible for the transfer of all monies due the players and officials of the team in Brazil on individual MasterCard debit cards provided by the bank but the deal fell through.

The Stars have been rocked by series of player agitation since they arrived in Brazil for their World Cup campaign and it took the intervention of the Vice President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, who met with the team in Brazil to quell a player revolt ahead of Ghana’s opening match with USA in Natal on June 16.

According to Mr Yammin, that misunderstanding was triggered by the players’ decision to reject an earlier offer of $75,000 made by government. The players insisted on being paid $100,000. 

Consequently, several meetings were held between senior players of the team led by captain Asamoah Gyan and the management committee to explain the reasons for the delay.

Confirming the development, Ghana Football Association (GFA), spokesperson, Ibrahim Sannie Daara, disclosed to this paper yesterday that the players had not received anything by way of financial inducements since they arrived in Brazil, and as such their patience seemed to be running out.

As the agitation peaked yesterday, the  team’s departure for Brasilia was held up for several hours as last minute discussions  were held between Gyan and the rest of the team to calm tempers.

But the players insisted  their monies be paid them or they would boycott the trip to Brasilia for their game against Portugal.