Nigerian officials deny Ghana cash allegations

LAGOS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Nigerian soccer and state officials have denied allegations that Ghana players received cash after the Port Harcourt qualifier that clinched Nigeria's place in next year's World Cup finals.

``I am not aware that money was given to anybody, certainly not to my knowledge. I don't think anything like that happened,'' Austin Mgbolu, a Nigerian Football Association spokesman, told Reuters on Thursday.

Ghana's parliamentary opposition are demanding a full inquiry after the country's Football Association chairman Ben Koufie told a radio station that team officials were given $25,000 after losing their African zone qualifying game 3-0 to Nigeria on July 29.

Nigerian sports and youth development ministry spokesman Victor Iroele also denied that cash gifts were made.

``To the best of my knowledge, I don't think any money was given out to any team in Port Harcourt. This is a grave allegation,'' he said.

Augustine Nwakinaka, press secretary to the Nigerian state government, said the government had footed the Nigerian team's hotel bills and promised to give their players $75,000 and some land, but had not paid the Ghanaians.

``No money was given to them. We could not have given them money because it was against protocol,'' he said, adding that the Ghana players attended a banquet after the match.