Sports Minister incites public against Black Stars

Ghana’s talking Sports Minister has done it again, this time questioning why Black Stars players are giving business class tickets when invited for national team matches.

Nii Lante who has turned a critic of the Ghana Football Association since assuming office as Sports Minister a few months ago has consistently incited Ghanaians against the FA and the senior national team with his public utterances.

In a recent interview on TV3, the Sports Minister says he doesn’t understand why Black Stars players are paid winning bonuses during qualification for AFCON and the World Cup as well as being bought business class ticket for national team matches.

“As part of the bill which is being considered in parliament, nobody will pay a pesewa for playing in any qualifying series again,” he noted.

“Why should a footballer playing in the qualifying series for the AFCON be paid winning bonus but an athlete goes through qualifying series for African Championship or Olympic Games and is not paid anything,” Nii Lante questions.

The Sports Minister then descended heavily on Black Stars players insisting they are not honoured for playing for the national team for requesting for business class tickets when coming for national team assignments.

He continued: “… and that footballer is not even gracious. He will be asking that the country buys him a business class ticket when he is coming to play for Ghana. He will be saying that he doesn’t want Alisa Hotel, he wants Movinpick.”

Many football pundits have warned the sitting president that the consistent attack on the senior national team by the Minister could thwart his aim of winning the 2017 Afcon with the Black Stars as most of the players feel insulted by the comments of the minister.

Others also add that these attacks on the team will paint the picture that the government is overspending on the national team amidst serious economic challenges in the country.