Ghana's sports ministry has launched an astonishing put-down on the players of the national team the Black Stars by slashing their bonuses by 50% and warned them to turn down future national team call-ups if they do accept the new remuneration package.
In dogged defiance of the government white paper of the 2014 World Cup commission, Youth and Sports (MOYS) minister Dr. Mustapha Ahmed will force ahead to implement $5,000 as winning bonuses for the Black Stars, a far cry of the $10,000 they receive for winning competitive matches.
In a militaristic approach, the Dr Ahmed will snub the recent ruling by the government white paper on the 2014 World Cup that bonuses must be agreed with players and should not be pegged at $5000.
The management committee honorarium shared among key people who work on the administration side of national team will be the worst hit as their remuneration package will be slashed by 90%.
They will now receive $1,000 each.
According to reports on local radio stations, the new bonus package is not negotiable and will force it down the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to inform the players of the decision.
The 2014 World Cup commission, which investigated the circumstances surrounding the bonus chaos that rocked the country's campaign in Brazil, recommended that the bonuses should be fixed at $5000.
That recommendation was rejected by government and in the white paper ruled that there should be negotiations before a decision is reached on a bonus package.
The failure of government to agree a package with the Black Stars players and the failure to heed to promises of paying them at the agreed time led to a massive revolt at the World Cup in Brazil.
This led to the setting up of the commission and its white paper now looks set to be defied by the sports ministry.
The GFA or the players are unaware of the new package and are yet to respond to the news which has been making the rounds on various radio stations since Thursday morning.
The Black Stars have still not been paid their winning bonuses for the emphatic victory over Mauritius on the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
What do you think of the new bonuses? Do you think the approach by the ministry is right? Do you think this would have a negative effect on the team? Make your views known in the box below: