Black Stars coach, Otto Addo
The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has dismissed claims that Ghana Black Stars head coach Otto Addo has not been paid for nine months, clarifying that the government owes him half of his salary.
Reports recently suggested that the 50-year-old coach had not received his full remuneration for 9 months.
However, speaking to Citi Sports, Adams acknowledged that while there are outstanding payments to be made to some national team coaches, measures are being taken to ensure a structured and timely payment process.
“That’s true, we owed a number of the coaches, and we are looking for a structured system for payment of the coaches. In the past, before I became minister, some of these coaches, especially the coach, the expatriate coaches of the women’s national team, were paid from the sponsorship fund that goes to the FA,” he said.
The minister explained that the payment responsibility has since shifted entirely to the government, with the Ministry of Finance now approving all disbursements.
“That has since changed now, all that has been offloaded onto government, and so we have submitted the details. The finance minister has since approved the payments, and the payments, even per the contract, are supposed to be in arrears.”
Adams further clarified that Addo’s contract stipulates 50% of his annual salary is paid upfront.
“For the head coach, we pay him 50% ahead of time. So, at the beginning of the year, 50% of his salary was paid ahead. So, what he is owed is actually 50%, not the full salary. So, what you pay him is just 50% also for every other month. So, it is not the full salary that is owed to the head coach.”
He added that payments resumed in March, following a press conference announcing arrears settlements for national coaches.
“So, we paid after March and also paid him 50% of the 12-month salary that is due him. So, what you now owe him is post-March 50% of salary because you would have paid the other 50% for January, February, and March. So, you now owe him only 50% of the remaining months,” he added.
