They've not paid us, they don't pick our calls - African Games gold medalist complains about unpaid bonuses

Ghanaian weightlifter, Winnifred Ntumi, has revealed that she is yet to be paid bonuses owed her by the Sports Ministry.

Winnifred Ntumi stated that she is not the only athlete yet to receive her bonuses as all the athletes who won medals at the 2023 African Games have not been paid.

In an interview with Happy FM, she claimed that the Sports Ministry has refused to grant the athletes an audience over the owed bonuses.

"I've not received the money yet. We (all the disciplines) have not heard from them up till now. Sometimes, when I call, they don't even pick up. It is with the minister (Mustapha Ussif) and we've not heard from him," she said.

She pointed out that, unlike the frustrating situation she is in now, she was fully paid after winning medals in the previous edition of the competition held in 2019.

"It is very heartbreaking because this is the first time I've experienced this. In Rabat (Morocco), I got the money immediately after I finished the competition. This is my home country."

"I competed on the 10th of March, and today is 18th of April. We don't even need reasons, but let's hear from you," she added.

Winnifred Ntumi won Ghana's first medals at the 2023 African Games after bagging three medals in the Weightlifting competition on Sunday, March 10, 2023.

Ntumi's outstanding performance unfolded at the GCB Hall, where she dominated the women's 45kg and 49kg snatch events, claiming gold and two silver medals, respectively.

According to the promise made by the Sports Ministry, a gold medal was valued at $3,000, a silver medal was valued at $2,000 and a bronze medal was valued at $1,000.

Therefore, Winnifred Ntumi is owed $7,000 for winning two silver and a gold medal.

EE/EK