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Tag: Black Challenge

  • Bawumia promises to speed up payment process of Black Challenge’s allowances

    Bawumia promises to speed up payment process of Black Challenge’s allowances

    Presidential candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to address concerns regarding unpaid allowances for the national amputee football team, the Black Challenge.

    Reports indicate that the team is still awaiting compensation for their efforts at the 2024 Amputee Africa Cup of Nations (AAFCON), where they triumphed over Morocco in the final held in Egypt, securing their second consecutive AAFCON title after their victory in Tanzania.

    Despite their success, the team has yet to receive the promised allowances.

    Bawumia has committed to ensuring that the Black Challenge receives the payments they are owed.

    “Looking at the national amputee team who are owed some allowances, I will talk to the Sports Minister to get the facts on the issue, and if that is the case, we will try to expedite their payment,” said Bawumia during his engagement with the press on Sunday, August 25.

    “When I leave here, I am going to raise that issue.”

    In recent years, the team has struggled with financial issues, even resorting to purchasing their own jerseys from Kantamanto for the 2024 Amputee Africa Cup of Nations (AAFCON).

    Despite these challenges, the Black Challenge has successfully qualified for the 2026 Amputee Football World Cup in Panama.

  • Kantamanto ‘the official suppliers’ for Ghana Amputee team jerseys – Richard Obeng

    Kantamanto ‘the official suppliers’ for Ghana Amputee team jerseys – Richard Obeng

    Coach of Ghana’s amputee football team, the Black Challenge, Richard Obeng, revealed the team encountered difficulties during their successful run at the 2024 African Amputee Football Cup of Nations (AAFCON).

    Obeng highlighted a major hurdle they faced before departing: a shortage of jerseys. This compelled the team to acquire a new set from the well-known Kantamanto market.

    “The jerseys we wore to participate in the AAFCON were bought at Kantamanto. This was not catered for,” Coach Obeng stated during an interview with Starr FM.

    The coach highlighted the limited sponsorship received, which covered only tickets and the participation fee, leaving the team without provisions for accommodation.

    “The hotel in which we slept for the tournament was taken care of by the local organizing committee. We did not even have camping.

    From our budget, we never received anything except the participation fee, which was $8,500,” he explained.

    Coach Obeng also addressed the need for financial accountability, a sentiment echoed by the Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif.

    Despite the challenges, the team remains committed to transparency and responsible management of funds.

    “It’s not my private team or a private club. We are aware that one day we will have to account.

    In 2021, when we travelled with our own money, we still have an account of that on our record, right? But nobody asked us to bring our expenditure,” he concluded.

  • Sports Minister fumes over Black Challenge’s receiving external donations

    Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif has expressed dissatisfaction with the Ghana Amputee Football team, the Black Challenge, for accepting external donations without prior consultation with his office.

    This criticism arose after the team received a $10,000 donation from former President John Mahama on July 12, 2024. The donation was in recognition of the team’s consecutive Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles.

    Ussif stressed the importance of team coordination through the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) before engaging with external donors.

    “When you come after the successes and there’s anything, the first point of call is this office [MoYS]. We’re not going to tolerate you using the state for your personal benefits,” he stated.

    He further criticised the team’s approach this year compared to the previous year.

    “Unlike last year, this time when you landed and you came here directly, this year you started going from one place to another without any records to the government who sponsored you, and that cannot be tolerated,” Ussif added.

    The Black Challenge recently clinched their second consecutive AFCON title by defeating Morocco in the final.

  • Ghana Amputee team lament govt’s delay in paying their bonuses

    Ghana Amputee team lament govt’s delay in paying their bonuses

    Ghana’s National Amputee Football Team, known as the Black Challenge, has fervently appealed to the government for the payment of their bonuses.

    Despite their triumph at the first Para African Games and advancement to the quarter-finals of the 2024 Amputee Africa Cup of Nations, the team has yet to receive their promised bonuses and support.

    This situation has led to growing unrest within the team, currently in Cairo for the Amputee AFCON.

    The team’s predicament came to light during a visit from Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt, Lt. Gen. Obed Boamah Akwah (Rtd), who expressed his support and solidarity with the players ahead of their quarter-final match against Tanzania.

    Representing President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo, the Ambassador encouraged the team to concentrate on winning the final match, underscoring the importance of their success for the nation.

    Team captain Richard Arthur Opentil conveyed gratitude to the Ambassador but also voiced concerns regarding the team’s conditions.

    “Despite winning two trophies for Ghana, we are yet to be adequately compensated. This lack of support from the government has affected our motivation and our ability to perform at our best for Ghana,” he lamented.

    The players cited the example of the Angolan team, which received envelopes with cash incentives, while they didn’t even have water to share.

    “We are disappointed in the government,” Opentil said. “But we are motivated and work to honor the President of the NPC Ghana and the African Paralympic Committee, Mr. Samson Deen, as he has provided all our needs with the support of the Amputee Football chairman, Mr. Foster Kwarteng.”