By Michael Oti Adjei
BBC Sport, Accra
Ghana’s achievement in reaching the World Cup quarter-finals has been soured by a row over bonuses.
None of the players has received the $63,000 promised to each member of the Black Stars because of a procedural dispute with the Bank of Ghana.
The central bank is insisting on paying the players by depositing money in their individual accounts.
But the players are up in arms because they want to be paid directly in cash as has happened in the past.
“The Bank states it serves customers in accordance with the Bank’s operational guidelines and that it is against prudent operational practice to make payments to individuals in excess of $10,000 (ten thousand dollars) in over-the-counter transactions,” the Bank of Ghana said in a statement.
The statement went on: “Accordingly, the Bank has informed the Ministry of Youth and Sports that the Bank would pay the foreign exchange amounts in question either to the bank accounts of the Black Stars players, or by cheques drawn on the Bank’s external account.
“This is in line with international best practice and with various security considerations.
“The Bank has therefore requested the Ministry to furnish it with a list of the names of the players and the respective amounts to each player to enable it to make the payments.
“The Bank is still expecting a response from the Ministry.”
The central bank was forced to issue the statement after accusations last week that it was responsible for the delay in the payment of the players bonuses.
The bonus row overshadowed Ghana’s last African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan.
A deadline of 15 October set by deputy Sports Minister Nii Nortey Duah passed without a single penny being paid out to anyone.
