President John Mahama and Kofi Adams
Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has come under scrutiny for refusing to make the Black Stars‘ budget for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers public in advance, raising concerns about his compliance with President John Dramani Mahama’s directive.
During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 27, 2025, the president emphasised the need for transparency by calling for the publication of the Black Stars‘ budget in advance.
President Mahama assured the public that no association would be allowed to withhold its budget, stressing that taxpayers have the right to know how funds are allocated.
“There will be no secrecy regarding government spending on the national teams. The budgets submitted by the GFA and other associations must be made public. After all, taxpayers’ money is used to fund these activities,” he stated.
However, Adams did not disclose the Black Stars‘ budget for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers before the matches against Chad and Madagascar.
The sports minister justified withholding the budget, arguing that doing so was necessary to avoid distractions for the team.
“People were asking me to disclose the budget for the games, but I kept asking myself what purpose it would serve for the team ahead of the matches. Sometimes, certain disclosures create distractions, so we must carefully weigh every decision before making it,” he told Asempa FM.
The Member of Parliament for Buem further indicated that the budget would be released at a later time and emphasised the high cost of managing the Black Stars, which the public should understand.
“The budget for the team will be made available. There is nothing to hide from the public, but we must understand that running the national team is expensive, especially since most of the players come from Europe,” he added.
His comments have sparked reactions from stakeholders in the sports fraternity, who believe the sports minister has defied the president’s directive.
Some football fans have also criticised Kofi Adams, accusing him of disrespecting President Mahama’s directive to shield Black Stars officials from criticism.
Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians applaud Black Stars for excellent performances against Chad, Madagascar
SB/MA
