Sports Ministry settles long-standing salary arrears owed to 11 Black Stars coaches since 2020

The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has paid all salary arrears owed to Black Stars coaches. This financial obligation had been unresolved since 2020.

The settlement followed an audit and coordination effort led by Minister Kofi Iddie Adams. Coaches from different periods, including some no longer in their roles, have now received full payment.

Documents from Joy Sports show that CK Akonnor was the biggest beneficiary. He served as head coach from January 2020 to September 2021 and received $120,000 in back pay. His assistant, David Duncan, was paid $40,000.

Chris Hughton, who was sacked after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, received $68,904. His assistants George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani were paid $20,833 and $12,500 respectively for sign-on fees.

The current coaching staff led by Otto Addo had not been paid since October 2024. They have now been compensated up to March 2025 for six months of work. Addo received over $420,000 during this period.

Other staff members also received payments for the same timeframe. Joseph Laumann got $75,000; John Painstil received $64,864; Fatau Dauda earned $19,459; and Francis Bugri Tampuli was paid $33,000.

However, the current coaching staff is still owed compensation for April and May 2025. Maxwell Konadu also received $30,000 in arrears for his role as Milovan Rajevac's assistant from September 2021 to January 2022.

Although the Ghana Football Association (GFA) contracted these coaches, the government was responsible for their payments. Until now, this obligation had often gone unfulfilled.

For years, many coaches faced financial uncertainty despite their important roles in international matches.

Clearing these arrears marks a significant change in how the government treats football professionals. It removes a long-standing source of friction and restores trust among coaches.

This sets a precedent for handling similar matters promptly and transparently while respecting contractual obligations.