The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) has released a formal statement to provide clarity on the contractual payments owed to former Black Stars coach, C.K Akonnor, following the termination of his contract in September 2021.
Responding to recent media coverage regarding the outstanding amount owed to coach Akonnor on Monday, the Ministry shared a comprehensive breakdown of the payment transactions in accordance with the agreement reached between him and the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
UPDATE: Paid only 7 times, Akonnor owed $425,000 in outstanding salaries
According to the Ministry’s statement, after his contract was terminated, Akonnor received an initial payment of GHS318,378.41 ($54,054.06 at an exchange rate of 5.89) on 22nd October 2021. Subsequently, on 10th February 2022, he received an amount of GHS335,675.71 ($54,054.06 at an exchange rate of 6.21).
The statement further revealed that on January 12, 2023, an additional amount of GHS860,000.00 ($100,000) was disbursed at an exchange rate of 8.60. Additionally, on July 27, 2023, Coach Akonnor was offered a cheque for $30,000 which he declined; instead opting for a bank transfer which was successfully completed on July 31st.
To date, Coach Akonnor has received a total sum of $508,108.12 while there remains an outstanding balance amounting to $220,000, the Ministry’s release stated.
The Sports Ministry emphasized that detailed provisions regarding the contractual agreement between coach Akonnor and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) are available for reference and verification purposes.
The Ministry acknowledged the outstanding arrears owed to coach Akonnor and assured the public that they are diligently working to secure funds for the remaining payments. They apologized for any inconveniences caused by delays in the payment schedule, attributing them to funding constraints.
C.K Akonnor fumes: It’s sad to still discuss my Black Stars salary arrears
Furthermore, the Ministry reiterated its commitment to supporting sports personalities and coaches and guarantees transparency and fairness in all their dealings with them.
Read the full statement:
Akonnor’s contention
Regarding the Minister of Youth and Sports’ claim that Akonnor received $100,000 as part of his exit package, the coach had clarified via a Graphic Sports publication Monday that this amount is inaccurate. He explained that he received a payment in cedis upon the termination of his contract and was instructed to convert it into dollars using the Bank of Ghana rate. However, this conversion resulted in a significantly lower amount than stated.
Coach Akonnor urged the Minister to refer to their contract with the Ghana Football Association for accurate details regarding payment.
I never received $100k after my Black Stars termination – CK Akonnor
