The Ghana Amputee Football Federation (GAFF) has categorically denied allegations by some members of the Amputee Football National Team, the Black Challenge, who claimed the government had reneged on its promise to pay them $12,000 if they won the recently held 3rd Cup of African Nations for Amputee Football (CANAF 2011).
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Mr. Francis Adjetey Sowah, the President of the Ghana Amputee Football Federation (GAFF) rejected claims that government promised to pay the team such an amount if they won the tournament.
He recalled that prior to the event, Government expressed its inability to fund the entire tournament, therefore did not make any commitments until it decided to support with logistics after persuasion from the leadership of GAFF.
“The government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports had made it known to the management of GAFF that, it had not budgeted for the tournament so was not in a position to support it financially. However, after series of meetings between the GAFF leadership and the Ministry, government agreed to offer technical support towards the tournament but under the condition that, GAFF sought its own sponsorship from various corporate bodies and individuals,” he explained.
He further stated that, government’s late acquiescence to the organization of CANAF 2011 led to low publicity of the event that brought six countries together to compete for the coveted trophy; the nations were Ghana, Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Niger.
“With other countries getting ready to come over to Ghana and to save the national image, government provided the necessary logistics and personnel to kick start preparations towards CANAF,” he said, emphasizing that, but for that last-minute intervention, Ghana’s image would have sunk before the international community.
He said, what government did was to psyche them to win the cup and that if they won it, they could be fortunate to receive some support. “I quite remember that, before the final match, key members of the Ministry went to psyche the players up in their hotel and they were given the assurance that they stood to benefit a lot if they won the trophy because it would motivate government to do something even though nothing had been budgeted for them,” he recollected.
Ghana lost 2-4 on penalties to Liberia after a pulsating 3-3 draw that saw the Black Challenge struggling equalize after a comfortable 2-0 first half lead.
Insisting that, that statement did not constitute a promise, he said the players were made to meet the Ministry of Youth and Sports, where they proposed an amount of $8000 which was found to be too high. However, GAFF still wrote to the Ministry, asking for an amount of $3,500 for each player. “Whilst waiting for government’s response, some of the players started agitating, compelling management to invite them to a meeting to explain issues.”
At the said meeting, he went on, one of the players, Joseph Amoh, who is holding himself out as the General Captain, a position that is non-existent, walked out on the leadership of GAFF, including coaches Ali Jarrah and Charles Armah. For that behavior, he was banned by the Federation.
He accused Amoh of instigating the players against management and being the person behind recent agitations at the Amputee Football front but gave the assurance that management is monitoring the situation and would be coming out with some disciplinary actions against those found to have acted in an unqualified way.
He called on any player or group of players willing to work with management to join in that that respect, assuring that, “Our doors are always open for dialogue and negotiations.”
He disclosed that, as part of plans to offer opportunities to as many Amputees as possible, GAFF would soon engage in a nationwide recruitment exercise to get many more amputees, amny of whom have been knocking on the Federation’s doors for some time now.
Mr. Adjetey Sowah, who also doubles as the President of the Amputee Football Federation of Africa (AFFA), revealed that, Assistant Coach Benjamin Charles Armah had been sent on a short course in the United Kingdom (UK) to upgrade himself, whilst Administrative Secretary, Theodore M.K. Viwotor is also travelling to the same country to seek collaboration with other Amputee Football groups to broaden the scope of the game in Ghana and Africa.