Takyi Arhin Raises Hell Over Reported $15,000 Winning Bonus For Black Stars

Veteran football administrator Takyi Arhin has hit against the reported $15,000 winning bonus to be given the Black Stars at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Ghana aim to win its first Nations Cup title in 31-years by the time the tournament kicks off early next year in South Africa. The Ghana FA is thus preparing a lavish financial package for approval by the Sports Ministry to motivate the team to victory. There are however widespread reports the financial package being prepared includes a whooping $15,000 reward to be given each player for winning a game at the AFCON. This is inconsistent with the Ghana FA disclosure of no longer paying winning bonuses but rather rewarding qualification. Nevertheless, Arhin says the figure being quoted is too exorbitant considering the current uproar over the revealed planned wages of national officers including President John Mahama. �In an era where there is a lot of discontent following the revelation of the salaries of our leaders including the President, the amount $15,000 is just too much,� he told Peace FM. �This is just for the Nations Cup and not a World Cup, no wonder there are a lot of friends and cronies in the Black Stars set up. �The figure should be immediately reviewed and reversed to the normal $10,000. �Payments of such nature should be consistent with the economic status of the nation, times are hard and so I don�t see why we should be paying that much to the players at the Nations Cup.� Ghana is drawn in Group B alongside Mali, Niger and DR Congo and will be based in Port Elizabeth. The Black Stars open their campaign on January 20 against DR Congo and the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.