Flashback: Gov't paid 'bribes' to qualify Ghana for Brazil World Cup - Report

In 2016, the Ghana Sports Newspaper and the GhanaSportsonline portal reported that it had sighted a leaked document from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which suggested that Ghana paid bribes to secure its place in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

It alleged that Ghana induced match officials and administrators during the qualifying series for the tournament.

The alleged leaked document, according to the newspaper, revealed that $116,000 was spent on the game against Zambia, which Ghana won 2-1 with an additional $199,000 to guarantee Ghana’s win over Sudan and Lesotho.

An additional amount of $700,000 was also used for unclassified payments in the entire qualifiers under Elvis Afriyie Ankrah’s regime.

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye in 2018 accused former GFA president, Kwesi Nyantakyi of bribing his way to get Ghana qualified for the World Cups of 2006, 2010 and 2014.

“Every sports journalist would say Nyantakyi did well because we qualified to three World Cups … I know why we qualified, we paid; even Osei Palmer admitted as much,” said Nii Lante Vanderpuye in an interview in 2018.

Read the full story originally published on July 19, 2016, on Ghanaweb
A leaked document by Ghana’s Ministry of Youth and Sports reveals that government paid 'bribes' in 2014 to aid the Black Stars qualification to the World Cup in Brazil, a newspaper has reported.

A report carried by a Ghanaian newspaper and its website claims the leaked document from the Sports Minister, Nii Lante’s office says his own government made $420,000 unclassified payments which the newspaper described as 'bribe' to secure Ghana’s qualification to the world football fiesta.

The reports, published by the Ghana Sports Newspaper and carried by ghanasportsonline.com disclosed a document leaked from the Sports Ministry revealed how the government spent the said amount on the first-leg alone in Kumasi.

The reports further nailed by the Sports Ministry indicates that a total amount of $700,000 was used for unclassified payments in the entire qualifiers under Elvis Afriyie Ankrah’s regime.

The newspaper report went on to say that the said document from the Sports Minister’s office further revealed that Ghana spent $116,000 on the game against Zambia, which Ghana won 2-1 and a further $199,000 on Ghana’s win over Sudan and Lesotho.

Growing concerns among Ghanaians over Nii Lante’s recent bust-ups with the Ghana Football Association with claims that government overspends on football have given the suspicion that his ministry indeed leaked the report as claimed by the newspaper.

This follows a recent publication in the media in which the Minister’s outfit released a private correspondence it had with the Ghana FA to the media in a press statement.

Ghana thumped the Pharaohs of Egypt by 6-1 in the first leg at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to cement a comfortable position ahead of the second leg in Egypt, which the home side won 2-1.

Ghana had a disastrous 2014 World Cup experience following government’s delay in the payment of appearance fees for the players creating chaos and anarchy in the Ghana camp.