We borrowed from a forex bureau to pay Maidens - Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye has disclosed that the ministry had to borrow money from a forex bureau to settle the per diem of the national female Under 17 team, Black Maidens.

Following their exploits in the just ended FIFA Under 17 female World Cup, it was reported that the players and handlers of the team were owed $2,800 in per diems.

The Sports Ministry couldn’t pay the money to the team on arrival because a court order froze the account of the team due to an unsettled debt.

The Maidens, however, received $1,000 of the total amount last week.

Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Nhyira FM, the controversial government appointee revealed that “we borrowed money from a forex bureau to settle both the playing body and the management committee. The players took $1000 each while the management committee had $1,700 each”.

The revelation that the management committee members got their share of the money comes as a huge surprise to many after it was widely reported that none of the members received a dime from the Ministry.

But Nii Lante says ” I will be surprised if any management committee member comes out to say that he/she did not receive any money”.

The Minister further disclosed that due to the demands of the constitution that govern the country, his outfit would be unable to pay the rest of the money in cash.

He, however, told the management committee to inform the ladies to open accounts with the consent of their parents as it was done when their male counterparts won the trophy in 1991.