Journalist slams sports minister over Avram Grant monies

Firebrand journalist has slammed Ghana sports minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye for seeking to pay Black Stars coach Avram Grant in cedis, claiming the government official looks to be picking on the Israeli while neglecting key issues affecting sports in the country.

Mr Vanderpuye told local TV station UTV on Saturday that Black Stars coach Avram Grant rejected a winning bonus because it was in local currency.

This comes after several claims by the new minister against the coach since the government official took charge of the ministry last month.

Vanderpuye has been critical of the coach saying he will force him to stay in the country while juxtaposing his salary with President John Mahama.

Kobby Jones, who is a known supporter of the new sports minister, says the minister's decision to pay the coach in cedis without knowing his contract details is far fetched.

"I am sorry to say that the minister got this thing wrong. To focus on the coach's bonuses while there are key things affecting the sports in Ghana is very wrong," Kobby Jones said on Hot FM.

"I don't know the details of the contract of the coach but this issue of what currency his bonuses are is neither here nor there.

"Let's focus of the key things that will develop sports in Ghana. this thing looks like the minister is playing to the gallery."

A source at the Ministry of Youth and Sports disclosed to the Graphic Sports that the coach rejected the bonus because it was in local currency and instead demanded to be paid in dollars which had been the practice in the recent past. It is not known what his contract details stipulates.

The Israeli coach reportedly returned his cheque to the ministry’s accountant saying he did not have a cedi account. Even though the Chief Director of the ministry explained that the Bank of Ghana only paid in local currency, the coach refused to accept the local currency and returned the cheque.

Following their victory over Mozambique, players of the Black Stars and technical handlers were paid in cedis as part of a directive by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, who said he was only ensuring the implementation of a Bank of Ghana policy.

Per his contract, the Grant receives $50,000 a month in salary and is guaranteed twice the winning bonus paid to the players.