The Presidential Commission investigating the poor showing of the Black Stars at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has ordered the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to pay the entire $8 million World Cup prize money to the Ghanaian government.
This was confirmed by the Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga in Accra today.
Early this week, the GFA after receiving the FIFA prize money refunded to government some $4.3 million being monies it borrowed for the Brazil tournament activities.
The GFA chiefly depended on that ‘loan’ from government to pay appearance fees of players and officials as well as other expenses that came with the participation in the tournament.
After paying part of the loan on Thursday, the GFA was hoping to use the remaining amount for “legacy projects” but that may be put on hold, at least for now, because the presidential commission has ordered the FA to pay all the amount to government until the commission completes its hearing and submits a report.
Mr Ayariga who said he received a letter from the Commission and intends to comply with it stated:”The GFA President came to inform me that he has brought a cheque in respect of the money that was loaned to them to go to Brazil and I also informed him I had received a letter from the Commission that he should hand the entire amount to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to keep, pending the outcome of the report of the Commission and we intend to respect the correspondence from the commission.”
He promised to forward the letter to the GFA for action. But GFA Director of Communications, Ibrahim Sannie Daara said they were yet to receive the letter.
African Eye News.com
