Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council Member, Frederick Acheampong has lamented that Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa's Black Stars exposé is to 'score cheap political point'.

Okudzeto Ablakwa, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), revealed that the government approved a budget of $8.5 million presented by the Ghana Football Association for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, Fred Acheampong has explained that the $8.5 million is an estimated amount and also appears to be huge because the Black Stars intended to camp in South Africa before the tournament.

"By virtue of my position on the Executive Council board. First of all, why is he running around like he has obtained something significant? Because we are in an election year, he exaggerated the thing. What is the meaning of budget? 'Estimated expenditure" The coach initially wanted to train in South Africa, if you include all these things. You know they travel with business class. So that budget of $8.5 contains components of the pre-tournament camping before the tournament itself.

He explained that the team ended up camping in Ghana, which reduced the actual expenditure to about 40% of the estimated $8.5 million.

"And in the end, Ghana did not spend even up to 40% of the money. It was budget and you have to draft it and give it to the ministry for them to discuss before they approve. I don't understand why he is exaggerating making it look as if the team spent $8 million. Even spent the South Africa component because the team trained at the Dr. Kwame Ktei Sports Complex. I don't know why he would do this unless scores cheap political points. This is not the first time, it has happened several times."

The Black Stars' budget for the AFCON has become topical following the team's terrible performance at the tournament.

They were eliminated in the group stage with a win, drawing two, and losing one of their three games played in Group B.

A 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the opening game was followed by 2-2 draws with Egypt and Mozambique in the second and final group matches respectively.

With just two points and a goal deficit, the Black Stars recorded successive group-stage exits from the AFCON, having suffered the same fate in the 2021 edition.


EE/EK