By Danesius Marteh
Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation has published a budget sent by the football association (GFA) for a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Chad at the Stade Olympique Marechal Idriss Deby Itno in N’Djamena at 13:00GMT on 4 September.
Minister Kofi Adams made the disclosure at a news conference in Accra on 2 September.
The US$1,239,090 budget, which was reduced to US$841,290, includes chartered flight, perdiems and winning bonuses for players and technical staff.
A proposed US$10,000 for GFA officials was removed by the government.
Head coach Otto Addo will receive US$10,000 while each player will pocket US$5,000 as winning bonuses respectively.
“This is the first time it has happened in my entire career. And I have been around for maybe 20 years,” said revered sports journalist Gary Al-Smith in the Inside African Football chat room on WhatsApp on 2 September.
Neither the government nor Liberia Football Association (LFA) has ever published football related expenditures.
President Mustapha Ishola Raji has bragged about running an accountable and transparent LFA.
Liberia will take on Tunisia at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Rades, Tunis at 19:00GMT on 4 September and Malawi at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe at 16:00GMT on 8 September in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The delegation departed on 31 August without the LFA disclosing its composition and the funds provided by the government.
It was only on 2 September when the LFA released three names from the list (Vice President Saye Taayor Adolphus Dolo, Down Town President Pokah K. Roberts and Samuel Cummings, Jr. of the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning), who had paid a courtesy call on Tunisia Football Federation President Moez Nasri and Vice President Hussein Jenayah.
