Ghana’s Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, addressed Parliament today, shedding light on the nation’s involvement in the Afcon 2023 tournament.
In his statement, Ussif revealed a budget of $8,506,450.00, with $5,071,840.36 released by the Ministry of Finance.
The county spent $3,070,067.81 for essential needs like per diems, flights, medicals, equipment, logistics, and hospitality after their group stage exit.
The surplus of $2,001,772.55 has been promptly returned, according to the Minister.
Ussif also expressed gratitude to MTN for a generous contribution of $400,000, emphasizing its substantial impact in complementing the government’s expenditure.
The minister’s disclosure has sparked discussions on the effective utilization of funds and the positive impact of private contributions on national sports initiatives.
The Black Stars finished third in Group B with two points following a 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde and draws against Egypt and Mozambique.
Ghana’s elimination marked back-to-back group stage exits from the African Cup of Nations, following a similar outcome in the 2021 edition in Cameroon.