Ghana’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has explained how the $3 million spent on the country’s participation in the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire was utilized during their 11-day stay.
Presenting before the Parliamentary Select Committee for Sports, Culture and Tourism, chaired by Kwabena Mensah Woyome, Ussif revealed that the funds covered: Per diems, flights, medical expenses, logistics, and hospitality.
The total expenditure of $3,070,067.81 has been a subject of interest, especially considering Ghana’s early exit from the tournament.
“Once they come, we need to make provisions for accommodation and feed them, feeding is also a major component, we have medicals which are also very critical and qualification bonus. Once they came here [Ghana], we needed to play a friendly match to prepare ourselves, and we had to pay for their flights to Kumasi and back, which is also part of the expenditure, our team too, we also had to charter a flight to Côte d’Ivoire which came at a cost.”
He also explained how funds from Ghana’s participation in the World Cup, starting from 2006, have been used.
“In 2022, when the funds came, the government took a portion of it, which is about 5. something to finance our participation at AFCON, and $2.8 has been given to the FA to improve the standard of hotels in Prampram. The last congress which is just about 2 weeks ago, the FA cut the sod to build a hotel facility for our senior national team at Prampram.”
Mustapha Ussif also responded to being labelled as “the worst Sports Minister” in the country’s history.
His reaction follows Ghana’s recent struggles in major competitions over the last few years.
“I disagree that I’m the worst Sports Minister.”
By: Gabriel Ofei