Sports Minister insist there is no money for Rwanda qualifier

SPORTS MINISTER

Minister of Youth and Sports Nii Lante Vanderpuye has defended government’s refusal to foot any bills for the 2017 Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda because he insists it doesn’t matter.

The Ministry says it has no money to pay for airfares and winning bonuses for the game against Rwanda which is effectively a dead rubber with the Black Stars already through to the tournament in Gabon next year.

Vanderpuye says he had engaged the Black Stars Management Committee about the need to save cost before the squad was announced as he laid out the bases for the cash freeze in an interview with Accra based 3FM.

“We think we need to cut cost. We have already qualified for the Nations Cup so the outcome of this game is not important. Why do we want to kill a fly with a sledge hammer?” Vanderpuye asked. “We don’t have the finances. When we were playing more important games we did not make this request. The situation now demands that this is the most prudent step to take.”

The Ministry says it simply has no budget for the game against Rwanda and applauded the widely publicized decision by the country’s players to pay their own way for the match.

“If the players decide to be patriotic and decide to buy their own ticket and come and play, not ask for any winning bonus and go, I would be happy because this is what I have been saying all along; that they need to be patriotic.

“We don’t have a budget for this match. It is that simple. We have other more competing demands. The money is not mine, it belongs to the state.

“The issue has to do with resources. We don’t have it. I have to go round borrowing, beg and all that to get the money. We owe on hotels, travel and tours for tickets and we owe the Black Stars on outstanding bonus. The money is not there. We need others to make the sacrifice.”

There have been fears that the feud could also affect the Black Stars’ long term on the field of play but Vanderpuye insists it should not.

“I don’t think this should affect the players and our performance in anyway. They are professionals and should focus on playing. These things do not and should not affect how they play.”

The former broadcaster also suggested part of his problems with the GFA stems from what he calls a crusade to bring sanity to aspects of the way football is run in Ghana.

“I am committed to bringing some sanity to the management of football and the national team. I won’t sacrifice those principles for anyone. Certain aspects of our football has been mismanaged and Ghanaians have not been happy with that.”