Minister rescues stranded supporters with 800 dollars

Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports on Tuesday, donated 800 dollars to a group of Ghanaian supporters who arrived at Segou without the chunk of their sponsorship money.

The supporters who arrived on Monday are being accommodated in a house, opposite the CAN Village through the benevolence of a Togolese couple, Julius and Patience Kwami who charge them a meagre 1,000 CFA per head per night.

Mr Joseph Laangabell, leader of the supporters told the GNA that his group was able to raise ?77 million from Accra Brewery Limited, Vanef/STC, Mid West, GLICO and Fritz Tel to facilitate their journey to Mali.

He said after they had completed arrangements they were joined by Mr Abraham Boakye, popularly known as ‘one man supporter’ who assumed leadership and led them to the Castle, Osu to receive cheques for the money.

Mr Langabell said after they had cashed the whole money, Mr Boakye convinced them to visit the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in Kumasi.

He said after waiting in Kumasi for three days without seeing the Asantehene, the group proceeded to Segou after Mr Boakye had given each member 180,000 cedis all totalling 4,320,000 cedis.

Mr Langabell said though ‘One man supporter’ promised to join them before the Black Stars first match last Monday, he had failed to show up, a day to the Stars' second match.

He said Mr Boakye has ?43 million of the group's money in his custody while they are leaving in abject poverty. We had problems with feeding and accommodation and now face a bleak future in Segou."

He said under the circumstances, they had no other option than to approach the Minister who was kind enough to give them 800 dollars to cater for their immediate needs.

Mr Langabell said Mr Boakye paid ?30 million to the transport company, which conveyed them to Segou, but the bus has since returned to Accra even though they have to travel about 500 kilometres to Mopti for the Stars last group match against the Stallions of Burkina Faso.

He said they are not bothered about the return journey because they are optimistic the Stars would reach far in the competition.

GNA investigations revealed that, the Minister donated part of the per diem of sacked Bayern Munich defender Samuel Osei Kuffour who returned his 1,200 dollars voluntarily when he was asked to decamp.