Who ‘chopped’ $91,800 meant for fans in Brazil?


It has emerged at the World Cup Commission of Inquiry that fans who supported the Black Stars in Brazil were supposed to be paid $10 each day they spent in Brazil. But checks by myjoyonline.com reveal fans did not receive a dime.

According to the testimonies of two caterers, $45 dollars was budgeted for each of the 612 fans in Brazil who were supporting Ghana Black Stars last June. Out of this amount, the caterers were allocated $35 as the feeding fees to prepare two meals each day. The remaining $10 was for the fans as pocket money.

Calculating this figure in view of the total number of fans which is 612, using the 15 days stay in Brazil, the figure arrived at is $ 91,800.

This brings up important questions for the Presidential Commission investigating Ghana Black Stars’ poor showing at the World Cup in Brazil.

The disastrous campaign saw open rebellion by some players against the team’s management committee and refusal of the players to train if they were not paid their $100,000 appearance fees before their last game in Brazil against Portugal.

Ghana crashed out in the group stages for the first time in three editions.

In the words of Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi, “money ruined our campaign” in Brazil. President John Mahama set up the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to look into matters arising out of Ghana’s participation.

As the commission hearing goes on today, it will be of interest to the commission to find out who was responsible for paying the fans $91,800 spending money.

Checks by myjoyonline’s Edwin Appiah reveal that three officials have questions to answer.

It has come to light at the commission hearing that, the former Minister of Youth and Sports Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the coordinator of the World Cup committee, Fred Darko and Larry Acheampong are the three officials who handled monies during the ill-fated campaign in Brazil.

Larry Acheampong will be appearing at today’s sitting.

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