Players never received houses promised them by Nkrumah after AFCON win - Rev Kofi Pare

Ghana's football legend, Reverend Kofi Pare, has lamented how successive governments failed to provide players of the national Black Stars team with the houses Dr Kwame Nkrumah promised them during his time as Ghana's president.

The then-president on two occasions pledged to give the Ghana National team houses if they were able to win the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1963 and in 1965.

Although they emerged champions, they never got their promises from the State due to the overthrow of Nkrumah in the 1966 coup d'état organized by the National Liberation Council.

Detailing the account in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb's Perez Erzoah on Sports Check, the retired footballer expressed his disappointment in successive leaders who failed to honour the footballers despite their dedication and sacrifice to their beloved nation.

"The 1965 AFCON wasn't the only time we were promised a reward. In 1963, Nkrumah said we should go and win the Cup and when we come, he was gonna give us houses. A two-bedroom house and a hall. I think that was in 1963..we went and we won.

"They should have given us the promise but at that time, Nkrumah's case had come and there wasn't anybody to continue and so it was left there," Rev Pare disclosed.





OPD/WA