Sports Ministry finally settle Black Queens bonuses

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has finally settled the outstanding bonuses owed the senior women’s football team, the Black Queens.

Multiple reports indicate that each of the players involved in the qualifiers received a cheque for GH₵85,000, equivalent to $7,500.

The cheques were presented to the players at their hotel in Accra on Thursday, February 22, 2024.

Prior to the settlement of the bonuses, the Ministry disbursed the per diems for the Black Queens players on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

The Black Queens had been owed bonuses since October 2023 when they qualified for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and the final round of the Olympic Games qualifiers.

The agreed-upon bonus amount was $2,500 per player, totalling $7,500 for three rounds of qualifiers.

The payment comes on the back of public outcry over the perceived unfair treatment of the women's team, who had threatened to boycott the crucial Olympic Games qualifier against Zambia scheduled for February 23.

The payment is in fulfilment of a promise made by the Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif, Ghana FA President Kurt Okraku, and Gifty Oware-Mensah who visited the team on Wednesday night to assure them of their money.

JNA/EK