$1.5m was spent on Black Stars AFCON 2023 qualifiers – Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa reveals

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that the Youth and Sports Ministry spent an amount of GHS 19,262,766.35, the equivalent of $1.5 million during Black Stars’ Qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

According to the Member of Parliament, official documents revealed that Ghana’s home and away matches versus Angola cost a total of GHS7,452,437.71.

Ghana’s two games with Madagascar also cost an amount of GHS8,395,434.13

In the two games Ghana played against the Central Africa Republic cost the country up to GHS3,414,894.51.

Ghana qualified for the Côte d’Ivoire 2023 Africa Cup of Nations through Ernest Nuamah’s 83rd-minute winner against the Central African Republic on the final day of qualifiers.

Although CAF has not confirmed how much Ghana will earn from the group stage participation, quarter-finalists will earn a prize money of $1,300,000.

In 2022, Ghana’s Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif told Parliament that the country spent $2,500,000 during a campaign that ended in the group stage.

Meanwhile, the Black Stars have crashed out of the 34th edition of the AFCON in Ivory Coast having finished 3rd in Group B with just two points.

Ghana recorded two draws against Egypt and Mozambique having opened their campaign with a defeat against Cape Verde.

Following the team’s elimination, the technical team of the Black Stars led by Chris Hughton has been dissolved.

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