The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the national amputee soccer team, the Black Challenge, for their recent series of courtesy visits to various personalities before paying a courtesy call on the Ministry following their African triumph last month.
Ussif emphasized that such actions “cannot be tolerated,” expressing disappointment at the team’s decision to visit other individuals before formally presenting themselves to the Ministry.
The Black Challenge made headlines by overcoming a goal deficit to secure a remarkable 2-1 victory over Morocco in the final of the 2024 Amputee Africa Cup of Nations (AAFCON) held in Egypt.
In the aftermath of their triumph, the team embarked on a series of courtesy calls, including visits to prominent figures such as former president John Dramani Mahama, who generously donated $10,000 to support the team.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama has donated a cash reward of $10,000 to Ghana’s Amputee Football team for successfully defending their AFCON title in Egypt.#3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/sHC7tlHYVj
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) June 12, 2024
However, when the Black Challenge finally visited the Sports Ministry on Friday to present the trophy to the sector minister, Mustapha Ussif expressed his displeasure at their prior engagements.
Comparing the team’s conduct to previous years, Ussif criticized their decision to prioritize visits to other personalities before attending to their official duties at the Ministry.
He emphasized the importance of the team recognizing their role as representatives of the state when engaging in such activities.
As a consequence of their actions, the Minister has instructed the President of the National Paralympic Committee to provide a detailed account of all donations received by the team.
“We will communicate after you have presented all the statements and all that you have received to my office,” Ussif stated.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has expressed dissatisfaction with the national amputee soccer team, the Black Challenge, for visiting some personalities before paying a courtesy call on the Ministry after the African triumph last month.#3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/82StYb9rlr
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) June 14, 2024