Sports Minister demands accountability from Ghana’s amputee national football team

Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif has voiced his dissatisfaction with the Ghana Amputee Football team, the Black Challenge, for accepting donations from outside sources without first consulting him or meeting the Sports Ministry.

His disapproval follows the team’s receipt of $10,000 on Wednesday, July 12, 2024, from former President John Mahama, who is running for the presidency under the New Democratic Congress (NDC) in this year’s election, as a token of appreciation for winning consecutive AFCON titles.

Ussif believes the team should have sought his office’s approval before accepting such donations.

The Black Challenge, Ghana’s Amputee National Football team, secured their second consecutive AFCON title by defeating Morocco in the final.

During a meeting with the team at the Sports Ministry today, June 14, 2024, Mustapha Ussif criticized the team for not visiting the Ministry before approaching other donors.

“This is a national team, not your private property…you’ve gone from one place to another without recourse to gov’t, it won’t be tolerated. The donations you’ve received are for the state, not you”

Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif tells Ghana Amputee Football Team.#CitiSports pic.twitter.com/vkJnh0U3e1

— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) June 14, 2024

We are not going to tolerate you using the states for your personal benefits.

Once you come, all of us will then be taking, making sure that whatever benefit that is supposed to accrue to you, just like we did in the previous time, when you came, the $2 ,000 you all received never came to mypockets.

It was for you because you represented us and you performed. And similar opportunity to be given to you.

But if you realize that this the one you landed, unlike last year, unlike last year when you came and you came here directly, this year you started going from one place to another place to another place without even recourse to the government who sponsored you.

And that cannot be tolerated.

I have to put it to you. Not only you, any national team.

If it’s your personal club, a private club, that is fine.

That is your club.

But national team, once you come, you should know that you are representing the states. So that is what I just want to tell you.

So I’ve asked the president of the Ghana National Para Team, we have seen that you have received a lot of donations, which is good for us.

You should account for it because it’s for the state, it’s not for you.

And he has indicated that you definitely will come and account for it.

And the government will then see what you will do to complement whatever you have received already.