The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has exposed the huge amount of money that the government spent on the Black Stars, Ghana's national football team, towards the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d'Ivoire, where many believe they performed poorly and crashed out in the group stage.

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In a Facebook post, Ablakwa revealed that the government spent a whopping GHS27.9 million on five items related to the Black Stars between April and June 2023, according to documents submitted to Parliament by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

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These items include:

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GHS7,452,437.71 for the 2024 AFCON Qualifier (Ghana V Angola — Home & Away)

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GHS8,395,434.13 for the 2024 AFCON Qualifier (Ghana V Madagascar — Home & Away)

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GHS3,414,894.51 for the 2024 AFCON Qualifier (Ghana V Central Africa Republic — Home & Away)

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GHS3,379,548.10 for the salaries of the coach and signing on fees

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GHS5,324,721.89 for airlifting supporters of the Black Stars during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

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Ablakwa said that this amount did not include the latest tournament expenditure items in Côte d'Ivoire, which he promised to highlight later.

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He expressed his disappointment and frustration with the Black Stars, who he said failed to recognize the pride and honour of representing the nation, and the extraordinary sacrifices that the taxpayers were making for them despite the prevailing economic crisis.

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He said that the country was undergoing unprecedented financial hardships, which did not spare even the aged, and that the country was unable to raise GHS4 million to save lives at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital's renal unit, which was shut down to outpatients in May 2023 due to lack of funds.

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He said that the players and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) officials must acknowledge that there were so many national problems that could be solved with GHS27.9 million, and that the country did not deserve the calamitous output that they delivered at the AFCON.

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The Black Stars, who were among the favourites to win the tournament, failed to win any of their three matches in the group stage, losing to Mozambique and drawing with Egypt and Angola. They finished at the bottom of their group with two points, and were eliminated from the competition.

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The dismal showing led to the sacking of coach Chris Hughton, who had been in charge of the team since July 2023.

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Many Ghanaians have taken to social media to vent their anger and frustration with the Black Stars, who they accuse of being insensitive and wasteful. They have called for a review and reduction of the Black Stars' budget, and for more transparency and accountability from the GFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

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