[ 2011-11-25 ]

Black Stars in prayers

Ministry responds to World Cup cash claims
The Ministry of Sports have issued a statement in
response to calls made by sections of the media to
ascertain the whereabouts of monies received for
Ghana’s participation in the 2010 World Cup.

A little over $11m was payed to the Ghana FA by
Fifa for the Black Stars’ impressive run to the
quarter finals but the monies was handed over to
the state after insistent pressure.

However over a year after the mundial in South
Africa, the Ghana FA is yet to take delivery of
the cash for its activities after presumable
expense deductions by the state, prompting the
media inquiry.

The Ministry has thus issued a press statement to
address the issue through its PRO, Akwasi Sarpong
and is as follows:

2010 FIFA World Cup Prize Money

This Statement is been made in the response to a
news item that was made by a Takoradi base FM
Station, Melody FM and carried by the Ghana News
Agency and Ghanasoccernet.com on the 20th
November, 2011.This news item sort to malign the
reputation of the minister of sport Hon. Clement
Kofi Humado on the 2010 FIFA world cup prize
money.

The question put to the minister by journalist of
the Takoradi based radio station on the 11 million
dollars was whether the ministry had received the
said amount of 11 million U.S dollars from the
Ghana football Association for a FIFA goal
project. In response the minister indicated he was
not aware of any such FIFA goal project money been
kept by the ministry and went on further to assure
the said journalist that he will find out if any
such thing is in the ministry.

We wish to make it categorically clear that the
ministry has never handled any money from FIFA
goal Project. The FIFA goal project is purely an
arrangement between FIFA and GFA. The ministry and
by extension, government does not in any way come
in. However, the prize money due Ghana for
qualifying to the quarter final stage of the world
cup tournament was received by the ministry
through the GFA on the 6th of October, 2001 and
subsequently lodged at the Bank of Ghana on the
7th of October as a result of discussions between
the ministry of youth and sports and the GFA on
one hand, the ministry of finance and economic
planning and the controller and the accountant
general on the other hand.

All correspondence to this effect can be verified
at the ministry. It’s our hope that this
explanation will clear all doubt with regards to
the 2010 world cup prize money to Ghana. It should
be clear to all that the 11 million, one hundred
and 11thousand,666 us dollars,75 cent is a prize
money for which Government of Ghana is entitled to
and not an entitlement of Ghana football
Association for the FIFA goal project as been
banded all over the airwaves.

GHANAsoccernet.com however notes:

The caption in the statement’s intro suggesting
GHANAsoccernet.com contributed in an effort to
malign the Honourable Minister Kofi Humado is
palpably false.

GHANAsoccernet.com insists its story with quotes
extracted from an interview between the honourable
minister and Takoradi-based Melody FM is a true
and fair reportage of the discussions that took
place and there is a recorded voice to that
effect.

It is therefore noted with much regrets the
portions of the above statement which sought to
unjustifiably whittle down the credibility of
GHANAsoccernet.com and massage the full facts of
an otherwise harmless publication.

Source - Ghanasoccer

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