The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has introduced reforms aimed at curbing wasteful expenditure in football management, beginning with the cancellation of winning bonuses for members of the Black Stars Management Committee.
Under the new arrangement, players will continue to receive their $5,000 winning bonuses during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, but committee members will no longer be entitled to the $10,000 payouts that previously accompanied each victory. Instead, they will receive only their standard per diems.
Sports Minister Kofi Adams, addressing the press in Accra on Tuesday, September 2, explained that the change was necessary to align incentives with performance and prevent a repeat of past excesses.
“In the past, managers received bonuses even when the team failed to qualify for major tournaments, leaving players with nothing while officials benefitted,” Adams said. “The president has made it clear: managers are to supervise, and for that, they will receive their per diems—not winning bonuses.”
Adams disclosed that although the ministry had budgeted $1 million per match, an adjusted allocation of $1.3 million would be used to finance two qualifiers. He stressed that the reforms were part of a broader effort to ensure prudent use of public funds and restore public confidence in the management of Ghana’s national teams.
The move has been welcomed by sections of the football community as a step toward fairness and transparency, with many calling for further measures to ensure resources are channelled directly toward player welfare and development.
