2018 Commonwealth Games: Ghana announces $15,000 prize for gold medal winners

Gold medal winners from Ghana's 72-athlete contingent at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia will receive a $15,000 dollar cash prize, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Pius Enam Hadzide has disclosed.

According to Mr Hadzide, who doubles as the Head of Ghana's International Games Committee (IGC), his outfit decided that the government will contribute $5,000 to the total sum while an Australian philanthropist offered to contribute the remaining $10,000 for gold medal winners.

He added that silver and bronze medal winners from Ghana's contingent will also receive $3,000 and $2,000 respectively for their efforts.

"For the gold, IGC has decided that we will give $5,000, $3,000 for silver and $2,000 for bronze," Mr Hadzide announced at Tuesday's (March 13, 2018) Meet The Press session in Accra.

Pius Enam Hadzide - Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports

"However, the IGC has gotten sponsorship from a philanthropist who has decided to add an extra $10,000 for gold, so in effect it is $15,000 for gold but $5,000 is from the government of Ghana and $10,000 from an Australian company that has been operating in Ghana from the past 35 years," he added.

Ghana would be represented by 72 sportsmen and sportswomen in 12 disciplines, with 35 technical men aiding them, with support from four medical doctors and 12 officials.

Team Ghana left the shores of the country for Gold Coast, Australia on Monday afternoon to continue with their preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth Games which runs between April 4-15.

Ghana has won a total of 57 medals in the history of the Commonwealth Games comprising 15 gold, 18 silver and 24 bronze medals.