Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has dismissed claims that he is withholding the budget for Ghana’s World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar, played in March.
This comes after President John Mahama’s State of the Nation Address in February, where he emphasised transparency in government expenditure on national teams and tasked the Sports Ministry with holding the Ghana Football Association accountable.
The Member of Parliament for Buem explained that releasing the budget at this time would be premature, describing it as a “draft document.”
In an interview with Channel One News, he stated, “You will know it when the time comes. It will be unfair to make a draft budget public; I’m not hiding it.” The minister assured that the budget will be made public eventually, particularly with the team’s next assignment in September against Chad and Mali.
The Black Stars are currently leading Group I with 15 points, three ahead of second-placed Comoros.
Ghana’s next fixtures are crucial in determining their qualification prospects for the 2026 World Cup. Despite Adams’ assurances, scepticism lingers among fans and stakeholders regarding the transparency of the Sports Ministry’s handling of the budget.
Adams’ comments come amid growing scrutiny over government spending on national teams. President Mahama’s call for transparency aims to promote accountability and good governance in sports funding.
