GFA Pre-financed 2015 AFCON; Sports Ministry Still Owing Us � Osei Palmer

A management committee member who doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Black Stars’ management committee, Osei Palmer has disclosed that the Ghana Football Association pre-financed the 2015 cup of nations’ in Equatorial Guinea where Ghana was beaten in the finals by Ivory Coast.

According to the management committee member, the Ministry of Youth and Sports have since not paid them their $2.5m and that the Ministry owns them about $3m in all.

“The GFA raised $2.5m to pre-finance the 2015 AFCON and as we speak now that money have still not be refunded to us . . . there have been other programs that the FA has pre-financed and have not be paid so when such things happens, you’re careful in terms of raising money for similar situations,"he said.

“Remember that the GFA’s relationship with the national team is based on trust since the players need to trust the handlers, and such boys can only trust you without doubt . . . That is the predicament we found ourselves.

“Most times we want to do all negations here before the team leaves for a tournament since we do not want a repeat of the 2014 Brazil happenings where the team demanded money before honoring a match.” Osei Palmer added.

The Tema Youth owner added that they have written to the transitional team of the new administration for them to take notice of the happenings since the Ministry of Finance are aware of every money that the Football Association spent on the national team.

“This money that the FA paid $2.5m, the Finance Ministry guaranteed and the FA have all documents to back their claims. We have also written to the transitional team for them to take notice of all happenings in relation to the 2015 AFCON, the GFA is incapacitated now to do pre-finance," he stressed.

Ghana failed to provide a scout on their opponent since the immediate past Youth and Sports Ministry failed to release funds for such assignment.

The Black Stars will open their campaign agaisnt Uganda before taking on Egypt and Mali in Group D of the AFCON.