Unibank mobilized $4.5m not $3m for government

Where is the $1.5 million


Contrary to reports, an amount of $4.5million was airlifted via a chartered plane to offset Black Stars and management team’s 2014 World Cup appearance fees in Brazil last Wednesday, footy-Ghana.com has been reliably informed.

Reliable footy-Ghana.com sources confirm that $4.5million was rather airlifted to Brazil and can further reveal that the amount was not taken from government’s coffers but was mobilized by Black Stars official bank sponsors Unibank Ghana Ltd.

Also, $3million was shared among the squad of 23 players plus technical and support team with the remainder going to officials.

It must be noted that the Ghana FA and bank sponsors Unibank had had an initial agreement to pay the Black Stars bonuses through their Mastercard system but the Ghana national team players later kicked against the arrangement insisting they are paid physical cash.

Background

The government of Ghana was compelled to charter a plane containing what was reported to be $3m in cash to save a brewing shameful situation of player boycott over unfulfilled promises in payment of World appearance fees. Each player was due a reported $100,000 cash.

Following a presidential assurance, the chartered aircraft landed in Brasilia late Wednesday night to intense coverage by the Brazilian media. A few hours into Thursday, Brazilian TV channel 'Globo' published photos and videos of the money being conveyed from the airport to the Black Stars’ Palace Hotel in Brasilia prior to the final group game against Portugal.

The TV Channel revealed that the bullion van which carried the moneys due the Ghana World Cup contingent was accompanied by 72 Policia Militar (military police), 19 Municipal Guards, 26 Squadron Ground Force Military, 14 Members of Grupamento de Operacoes Especiasis de Brasilia (Special Operations group of Brazil), One Aeronautica Policia (military airforce police), 2 Highway Patrol Battalion Group and 1 Air Mobile Brasilia (air force).