The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has donated GH¢50,000 to Ghana’s national amputee football team, the Black Challenge, to support its preparations for the 2026 World Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.

He has also pledged a poultry enterprise package for eight Ghana-based players to help them establish businesses and secure sustainable livelihoods beyond football.

The package, to be provided under the government’s Nkoko Nketenkete poultry programme, will include battery cages, laying birds, poultry feed and technical expertise.

Opoku announced the donation and support package during a visit to the team’s training session at the University of Ghana. He was accompanied by Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture John Setor Dumelo, the ministry’s Chief Director and its budget officer.

Addressing the players, the minister encouraged them to approach the competition with confidence and determination, assuring them of the nation’s support.

“You are going to hold the flag of Ghana, and our presence here indicates that the whole nation is behind you,” he said.

He urged the players to remain focused and represent Ghana with pride, adding, “You are stronger than you know.”

Opoku’s GH¢50,000 donation follows a GH¢100,000 contribution from Ghanaian dancehall artiste Stonebwoy, bringing their combined support to GH¢150,000.

The minister stressed the importance of financial and motivational support as the team prepares to compete against some of the world’s leading amputee football sides.

Opoku said eight locally based players would receive assistance to establish poultry businesses upon their return from Mexico. He noted that the team comprised eight Ghana-based players and seven others based in Turkey.

He said the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was preparing a special package for the beneficiaries and encouraged them to contact the ministry after returning.

“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is putting together a special package, so as soon as you return, get in touch with us,” he said.

Dumelo will coordinate the process to facilitate access to the promised support.

The initiative forms part of the broader Feed Ghana Programme, launched by President John Dramani Mahama to strengthen domestic food production, improve food security and increase household incomes.

The proposed assistance aims to promote economic empowerment by equipping the players to venture into poultry farming and contribute to local production.

The 2026 World Amputee Football Federation World Cup is scheduled for November 13–22 in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico. Ghana has been drawn in Group D alongside Angola, Colombia and Iraq, with 24 national teams expected to compete.

The donation will provide immediate financial support for the team’s campaign, while the proposed poultry package is intended to create longer-term economic opportunities for the eight locally based players.

Opoku reiterated the country’s backing for the team, telling the players: “You have the full support of the entire citizenry of this country.”