The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has rejected claims that the government owes members of the Black Queens outstanding per diems, insisting that all approved allowances due to the team as of August 12, 2026, have been paid.
The Ministry issued the clarification on Wednesday following concerns reportedly raised by players of the senior national women’s football team over outstanding bonuses, per diems, welfare and government support during the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
While acknowledging the players’ right to raise concerns about their welfare and entitlements, the Ministry said it was necessary to put the government’s financial commitments to the team on record.
Also read:Â Commonwealth Games: Assafuah raises alarm over tickets, kits and welfare of Ghana Team
According to the statement, players and eligible officials received their per diems in advance on July 29, covering the period from July 26 to August 7, including the group stage and the relevant period thereafter.
The Ministry said the payments were acknowledged by recipients through signed allowance sheets.
Following the Black Queens’ exit from the quarter-finals and their continued stay in Morocco for the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-in qualification pathway, the government made another per diem payment on August 11.
That payment covered the additional period from August 8 to August 14, the Ministry said.
It therefore maintained that, as of August 12, the government had no outstanding per diem obligation to the Black Queens.
On winning bonuses, the Ministry said the Black Queens recorded one victory during the group stage against Cape Verde and had consequently earned one winning bonus.
It explained that winning bonuses were processed separately from per diems and paid directly into the bank accounts of players and eligible officials after the completion of the necessary documentation, statutory deductions and other public financial procedures.
The winning bonus for the Cape Verde victory is therefore being processed, according to the Ministry.
The Ministry also addressed claims concerning an outstanding WAFCON qualification bonus relating to the team’s qualifying matches against Egypt.
It said Ghana’s current sports financing framework does not provide a separate qualification bonus for securing WAFCON qualification through the home-and-away qualifying round.
Government, however, covers approved costs associated with participation in the qualification process, including per diems and other operational expenses.
The Ministry further stated that no government approval was given for winning bonuses for the qualifying matches against Egypt and that this position had been communicated to the Ghana Football Association.
It therefore rejected the description of the alleged payment as an outstanding government obligation.
The Ministry assured the public that the Black Queens have access to a comprehensive support structure during the tournament.
According to the statement, the team’s support structure includes a Team Manager, Team Administrator, two physiotherapists, a medical doctor, a nurse, a dietician, a chef, two management team members and additional technical officials.
The Ministry said the personnel are responsible for providing medical, nutritional, administrative and general welfare support to the players throughout the tournament.
It added that legitimate additional welfare needs brought to the attention of team management are addressed promptly.
The Ministry’s accountant attached to the team has also been facilitating approved payments for needs arising outside the team’s regular operational arrangements, it said.
The Ministry nevertheless acknowledged concerns relating to player welfare, health and mental well-being and said it remained prepared to address specific issues raised through the appropriate channels.
The Ministry said it would continue to support the team within the approved framework as the players prepare for the important FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-in against Côte d’Ivoire.
It urged all stakeholders to ensure that discussions about financial entitlements and player welfare were based on accurate information and handled through the appropriate institutional channels.