Ghana’s Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams, has announced sweeping changes to the financial arrangements surrounding the national men’s football team, the Black Stars, with the most notable being the complete removal of winning bonuses for members of the Black Stars Management Committee.
The move, which he described as a bold step toward accountability and fiscal discipline, comes as the team prepares for crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Chad and Mali.
Budgetary restructuring at the sports ministry
Addressing journalists at the Ministry of Sports, the Minister, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Buem Constituency, outlined the government’s budgetary allocation for the Black Stars and management.
He disclosed that although the original budget for the team per match was set at $1 million, the Ministry approved a consolidated amount of $1.3 million to cover two games.
An amount of $841,290 has been allocated for Ghana’s game against Chad while a sum of $436, 600 has been allocated for Ghana’s game against Mali in Accra.
Adams said the restructuring exercise formed part of his administration’s broader review of sports financing, which has involved cutting out what he called “unnecessary expenditures” from the Black Stars’ budget.
Among the casualties of this exercise is the $10,000 in winning bonuses previously earmarked for members of the Management Committee.
“Black Stars Management Committee members were on $10,000 as a winning bonus, while players were on $5,000,” Adams told the press.
“That practice has finally ended under this regime. We have decided that the focus of our expenditure must go directly to motivating the players and ensuring accountability.”
Players retain $5,000 bonus per victory
Under the new arrangements, Black Stars players will continue to receive $5,000 as a winning bonus for every victory in the World Cup qualifiers.
The Minister emphasized that the players, who sacrifice on the field to secure results for the nation, remain the rightful beneficiaries of performance-related rewards.
The decision to maintain the player bonuses while scrapping the Management Committee’s entitlement, according to Adams, sends a clear signal about the government’s priorities.
He explained that at a time when the nation is grappling with economic challenges, taxpayers’ money cannot be expended on rewarding officials whose role is administrative rather than competitive.
The role of the Management Committee
The Black Stars Management Committee, currently headed by Ghana Football Association Executive Council member Dr. Randy Abbey as President, and former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah as Vice-President, has historically overseen the affairs of the senior national team.
Members have often played key roles in negotiations, logistics, and serving as intermediaries between players and the Ghana Football Association.
However, their entitlement to bonuses equal to or greater than those given to players has long been a subject of controversy among sports analysts and the Ghanaian public.
Critics have often questioned why administrators who do not compete on the field should take home higher bonuses than the players themselves. Adams’ announcement has therefore been welcomed in some quarters as a corrective measure.
Technical team put on performance-based incentives
Beyond the Management Committee, the Sports Minister also outlined a new arrangement for the Black Stars’ technical team. He revealed that the coaching and backroom staff are now entitled to only half of the winning bonuses allocated to players. The other half, Adams explained, is conditional and will only be paid if the team qualifies for a major tournament such as the Africa Cup of Nations or the FIFA World Cup.
“The Black Stars technical team members are paid half of the winning bonuses given to players,” Adams noted.
“If the team qualifies for a major tournament, the remaining 50 percent will be paid. If they fail, they forfeit the money.”
The Minister said this approach was designed to align the technical team’s incentives with the ultimate goals of qualification and success at major tournaments, rather than rewarding them solely for individual match victories.
Preparations for Chad and Mali fixtures
The Black Stars, under head coach Otto Addo, have already departed Accra for N’Djamena, where they will take on Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4. The team is expected to return to Ghana to host Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.
Both matches are crucial in Ghana’s bid to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With the new bonus structure in place, the players and technical staff head into these matches under a revised financial regime that prioritizes performance and accountability.
Adams expressed optimism that the reforms would not only save money but also motivate the team to strive for qualification.
Calls for transparency and public scrutiny
Adams’ announcement also comes amid heightened scrutiny over the Ministry’s handling of sports budgets.
Earlier this year, former President John Dramani Mahama publicly directed the Minister to disclose financial allocations for national team assignments.
Critics have accused Adams of being reluctant to make such disclosures, arguing that the lack of transparency has fueled public mistrust.
By publicly revealing the current budget figures and the restructured bonus arrangements, the Minister appears to be responding to those criticisms.
His insistence on cutting waste and redirecting funds toward the players has been presented as evidence of his administration’s commitment to reform.
Adams has promised that under his stewardship, the Ministry of Sports will prioritize the interests of the players and the broader Ghanaian public over the privileges of administrators.
For the Black Stars, the message is clear: rewards will follow results, and accountability will guide the management of the team’s finances.
