Sports Ministry to settle Black Queens' unpaid bonuses today

The Ministry of Youth and Sports' Chief Financial Officer has assured that the outstanding bonuses owed to the Black Queens will be settled today, February 22.

In the past day, the women's national team, the Black Queens, has been at the centre of public attention following widespread outcry over the government's delay in paying their bonuses for qualifying for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The team is collectively owed approximately $180,000 in bonuses for their participation in six games.

After a visit to the team's camp on February 21, the financial officer conveyed a commitment to the players that all pending bonuses would be disbursed by 13:00 GMT later today.

This payment is anticipated to provide a morale boost to the team ahead of their first-leg match against Zambia's Coppe Queens in the qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games.

In a related development, Gifty Oware-Mensah, Chairperson for the Black Queens Management Committee and also an Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), addressed concerns regarding the unequal treatment between the Black Stars and the Black Queens, citing the latter's outstanding bonuses as an example.

Ghana is set to clash with Zambia in the first leg of the 2024 Olympic Games third-round qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, February 23, 2024, with the game scheduled to kick off at 16:00 GMT.

Under Nora Hauptle’s guidance, the team has demonstrated an impressive performance, winning 10 out of 11 matches and scoring 34 goals. They have also secured qualification for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

However, despite their achievements, the Black Queens are still awaiting payment of bonuses totalling $7,500, which dates back to qualification matches played last year.