On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, and Mustapha Ussif, the Minister of Youth and Sports, paid a visit to the camp of the Black Queens in preparation for their upcoming match against Zambia on Friday, February 23, 2024.
The visit comes in response to public outcry regarding the ministry’s failure to pay bonuses owed to the Black Queens.
Accompanied by Gifty Oware, the chair of the Black Queens management committee, Okraku and Ussif held a meeting with the players to address their financial concerns and provide encouragement ahead of the game against Zambia.
Images shared on the official social media account of the Black Queens depict the players’ enthusiasm during the meeting as they warmly greeted the GFA president and the Sports Minister.
Players of the Black Queens who participated in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the previous rounds of the Olympic Games qualifiers are owed $7,500 each in winning bonuses.
It is understood that the Ministry had agreed to pay $2,500 per round, with the team having played four rounds so far—two in the Olympic Games qualifiers and two in the AWCON qualifiers. Payment for one round is still outstanding.
The team is currently in the final round of the Olympic Games qualifiers and is scheduled to face Zambia in the first leg in Accra on Friday, followed by the second leg in Zambia on Wednesday, February 27, 2024.