Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that the government approved a budget of US$8.5 million presented by the Ghana Football Association for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Okudzeto Ablakwa explained that his revelation is an effort to break 'the basic information' that the GFA and the Sports Ministry have 'concealed' to keep it out of the public eye.

"THE SECRET IS OUT; THE WAIT IS OVER — GOVT & GFA AGREED ON A BLACK STARS AFCON BUDGET OF AN ASTONISHING US$8.5MILLION (GHS105MILLION)," he wrote.

"I promised in my publication last week on the staggering GHS27.9million taxpayers spent on the Black Stars between 2022 and 2023, that I shall subsequently, in the supreme national interest, share further information on financials relating specifically to the AFCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire — I intend to keep that promise today.

"Government and GFA officials have done everything under the sun to conceal how much they budgeted for the preparation and participation of the Black Stars at the ongoing 2024 AFCON.

"Despite strenuous efforts by Parliament and the ever dynamic and courageous Ghanaian sports journalists, the Youth and Sports Minister and his allies at the FA have blatantly refused to disclose this basic information — information the Ghanaian people have every right to know."

He vowed to offer the breakdown of how the whopping amount was intended to be spent at the tournament.

"SOA Oversight shall be back with more explosive intercepted documents at 3 pm tomorrow."

The Black Stars had a poor outing at the 2023 AFCON, drawing two, and losing one of their three games played in Group B.

A 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the opening game was followed by 2-2 draws with Egypt and Mozambique in the second and final group matches respectively.

With just two points and a goal deficit, the Black Stars recorded successive group-stage exits from the AFCON, having suffered the same fate in the 2021 edition.

THE SECRET IS OUT; THE WAIT IS OVER — GOVT & GFA AGREED ON A BLACK STARS AFCON BUDGET OF AN ASTONISHING US$8.5MILLION (GHS105MILLION)

I promised in my publication last week on the staggering GHS27.9million taxpayers spent on the Black Stars between 2022 and 2023, that I shall… pic.twitter.com/4005pvDngk

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) January 29, 2024