Richard Obeng, the head coach of Ghana’s national amputee football team, the Black Challenge, has disclosed that the team’s attempts to engage with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, were initially met with silence.
This revelation comes amid a backdrop of dissatisfaction expressed by the Minister over the team’s actions following their recent triumph.
The Black Challenge recently captured headlines by securing a remarkable 2-1 victory over Morocco in the final of the 2024 Amputee Africa Cup of Nations (AAFCON) held in Egypt, overcoming a goal deficit to claim the championship.
In the wake of their historic win, the team embarked on a series of courtesy calls, including a notable visit to former President John Dramani Mahama, who generously donated $10,000 to support the team.
However, these visits stirred controversy when the team finally presented themselves at the Sports Ministry.
Minister Mustapha Ussif voiced his dissatisfaction with the team for choosing to visit other individuals before formally engaging with the Ministry. He emphasized that such actions “cannot be tolerated” and expressed disappointment in the team’s decision to prioritize other personalities before attending to their official duties at the Ministry.
Ussif highlighted the importance of recognizing their role as state representatives when engaging in such activities.
Coach Obeng recounted in an interview with Akoma FM in Kumasi that their visit to the Ministry was marred by the Minister’s displeasure at their prior engagements.
He clarified that it was never their intention to seek support elsewhere before visiting the Ministry. According to Obeng, their initial attempts to schedule a meeting with the Minister were ignored.
“We were only called after we visited Ex-President Mahama. Prior to that, we had made a request to present the trophy before on the 3rd requested date that might be appropriate for the Minister. But we didn’t get any response. We only got his attention after we visited the Ex-President,” Obeng explained.