Honorarium paid to Black Stars management is not a crime, it is government approved - GFA

Published on: 21 August 2014
Honorarium paid to Black Stars management is not a crime, it is government approved - GFA
Ghana FA spokesman Ibrahim Sannie Daara

The Ghana FA has defended revelations that management members of the Black Stars received payments at the 2014 World Cup – insisting that government approved it.

Chief Director of the Sports Minister Abudulai Yakubu revealed during his turn with the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that the Black Stars management committee received $82,500 as appearance fees.

This revelation sent shockwaves who hitherto thought that members were given honorarium – a combined bonus of two or three players shared amongst management members and other officials.

The GFA says the money approved by government is not only meant for the seven-man management team of the Black Stars insisting it is approved by government as payment for the officials who work on the team.

The federation insists that no wrong was done by officials who received the monies revealing it is approved by government and has been the practice over the years.

“It is not a crime for management and several other officials who work on the team to receive monies that have been approved by the government,” GFA spokesman Ibrahim Sannie Daara told Radio Gold.

“It is not as if someone has been given money that has not been approved by government. This is what is due them for working hard to bring success to the team.

"In 2006 the GFA made a proposal to government that management members and several other officials who work day and night to get the team to reach its success are not remunerated.

"This was agreed by government that the management members and several other officials, sometimes numbering 25 , receive these payments - not even close to what the players get.

“In any case, this is not a recent practice. It was agreed years ago that people who work constantly for the team also benefit from its gains.

“It was done in 2006, was done in 2010 and it was done in 2014. This is not illegal.”

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry was set up to look into issues that saw the Black Stars make a first round exit from the 2014 World Cup.

It is also to probe the preparations and systems put in place by responsible authorities towards the finals staged in Brazil.

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