Minister pledges to settle Kwasi Appiah’s debt

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, has promised to pay former Black Stars coach, Kwasi Appiah, an amount of $185,000 in outstanding salary immediately funds are available.

He said it would be wrong to suggest that the ministry would not settle the arrears due Appiah and appealed to him to exercise restraint.

Appiah’s complaint

The former coach complained recently about the reluctance of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to settle his outstanding salary and bonus after the expiration of his contract last December.

Subsequently, the FA’s spokesperson, Mr Henry Asante Twum, said in reaction that it was the responsibility of the ministry to the salaries of national team coaches.

Yesterday (Wednesday, June 3, 2020), the minister explained at a press briefing in Accra that the former coach had been paid all his salaries and bonuses during his two-year contract but the extension of his contract last year resulted in the indebtedness to him.

“I can assure you that we will pay him his due for all the good work he had done for our dear nation,” pledged Mr Asiamah.

Stimulus package for athletes

Mr Asiamah unveiled a plan to alleviate the hardship suffered by athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying a programme named Youth in Elite Sports for Ghana would be launched soon to provide financial support to national athletes who are preparing for international competitions.

"The pandemic has caused immeasurable damage to the preparation of Ghanaian athletes towards the various qualifiers for the Olympic Games.

"As a way to mitigate their plight, a collaboration between the Youth Employment Agency, National Sports Authority, Ghana Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, Ghana Football Association and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the institution of a stimulus package known as 'Youth in Elite Sports for Ghana'.

Resumption of sports

Last Sunday President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in announcing the easing of restrictions on social gatherings and sports, announced that individual non-contact sports could resume.

At yesterday’s briefing the minister listed the 20 non-contact sporting disciplines —athletics, badminton, baseball and softball, chess, cricket, cycling, golf, gymnasium, individual non-contact para-sports, keep fit clubs (100 persons maximum), polo, power-lifting, scrabble, shooting, snooker, swimming, table tennis, tennis, water sports and weightlifting — which could resume training immediately.

However, he explained that the phased easing of restrictions would also see contact sports and team events such as the football leagues being staged in due course.