Following President John Dramani Mahama’s State of the Nation Address on Thursday, where he urged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to ensure transparency in budgeting for the Black Stars ahead of tournaments, newly surfaced budget documents have ignited discussions.
Submitted by the GFA to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, these documents detail the team’s expenditures for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including a 28-day per diem allocation totaling $408,800.
The breakdown is as follows:
- Players (26 members): $150 per day for 28 days, totaling $109,200
- Technical Team (22 members): $150 per day for 28 days, amounting to $92,400
- Officials (37 members): $200 per day for 28 days, reaching $207,200
In addition to per diems, each of the 54 individuals who traveled with the team—encompassing players, technical staff, and officials—received a $100,000 appearance fee, leading to a staggering $5.4 million in total appearance fees. These figures contributed to the GFA’s overall tournament budget of $14.18 million.
A notable inconsistency in the budget is the $300,000 allocated for a charter flight to transport the team to Qatar, despite some Black Stars players already being on-site for pre-tournament camping.
This inclusion of airfare costs for all players has raised questions about the justification and accuracy of the expense.
Further attention has been drawn to honorariums paid to officials, including:
- Head of Delegation: $20,000
- General Secretary: $15,000
- Administrator: $15,000
- COVID Officer: $20,000
- National Teams Department Representative: $10,000
These disclosures have intensified scrutiny over the GFA’s financial management and transparency, especially in light of President Mahama’s remarks.
The blend of substantial per diems, hefty appearance fees, and puzzling travel expenses has fueled concerns about the association’s accountability and spending practices during major tournaments like the World Cup.
