Financial crisis hit junior national teams; Sports Minister runs for cover

Ghana's junior national teams are suffocating under financial burden in a pathetic episode which has left tough-talking minister Nii Lantey Vanderpuye running for cover.

The minister's recalcitrant and hard-stance approach towards the Ghana FA appears to have stalled the progress of several of the junior national teams.

The country's female Under-17 team teetered on the edge of crisis as the financial burden escalates.

The Black Maidens have been forced to break camp due to acute cash flow hitch which is fast sweeping through the other national teams.

There are no funds to cater for their feeding and transportation, leading to the decision to break camp, just a month before the 2016 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Jordan.

Players of the national Under-17 team have also not been paid a dime since they started preparations for the 2017 Africa Under-17 qualifiers.

The Ghana FA say they are unable to pre-finance this time around after the ministry failed to remit earlier arrangement.

The country's football federation say they are in a "critical financial position" with a crippling debt suffocating the federation.

But there is a widespread believe that the show of power-play and showboating has left the teams gasping for financial salvation.

The frosty relationship between the Ghana FA and the Sports Ministry is well documented amid a growing concern which appears to be affecting the operation of the national teams.

The controversial government official has launched several damaging attacks on the federation with his latest bizarre claims some unnamed FA officials requested for an underhand dealings in the wake of the Black Satellites elimination from the 2017 Africa Youth Championship qualifiers.

The claim by the minister is likely to further strengthen the resolve of the GFA that Vanderpuye has got ulterior motives towards the federation which has resulted in his consistent attacks.

The rift between the GFA and Vanderpuye appears to have been widen as he continuously tag the federation and its officials negatively since he took over as the minister.

In 2010 Vanderpuye was alleged to be part of a group set up to try to unseat the leadership of the GFA through a coup d'etat.

He was part of the group that forced out BT Baba as the chairman of the Ghana Olympic Committee.