Stars bonus still uncertain

A cloud of uncertainty still hangs over the Black Stars winning bonus following George Afriyie’s insistence that the team’s winning bonus remains $10,000 despite a strong hint dropped by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr Mustapha Ahmed, regarding a reduction in the bonus by 50 per cent due to the nation's economic challenges.

Addressing the GFA Congress at Prampram Tuesday, the minister said "There is no defined law on how much is to be paid as bonus to the Black Stars.

“However, payment of bonuses is per the ability to pay. We all know the economic challenges we are going through and that is why we have been unable to settle some of the bonuses of recent matches.

“We, therefore, need to look at ways in which we can address this problem of the bonus of the Black Stars.”

However, Black Stars Management Committee chairman, Afriyie, after listening to the minster's address at yesterday's ordinary congress, said the impression he got was that the status quo still remained.

"There is no definite position. It’s not like it’s $10,000 or $5, 000,” he explained to the Graphic Sports in an interview.

"That is what he said; there is no definite position as we speak now. So it simply means that the old position still stands because nothing has changed”.

The minister also disclosed that "hopefully tomorrow or Thursday", he was looking forward to resolving the outstanding bonuses of the Black Stars before the team leaves Accra to engage the Comoros in a 2018 World Cup qualifier.