The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has successfully cleared all overdue salaries owed to former and current coaches of the Black Stars, ending a long-standing financial issue dating back to 2020.
The payment settlement was the result of a thorough review process and coordinated efforts among various agencies, led by Minister Kofi Iddie Adams. Coaches from different periods of service, including some who have long exited their roles, have now received full compensation for the periods they served.
Former head coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor received the largest amount, with $120,000 in back pay. His assistant, David Duncan, was paid $40,000. The settlement also covered Chris Hughton, who was dismissed after Ghana’s disappointing performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, receiving $68,904 in owed salary and sign-on fees. Hughton’s assistants, George Boateng and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, received $20,833 and $12,500, respectively, in outstanding sign-on fees.
The current technical team, led by Otto Addo who returned as head coach in March 2024, had not been paid since October 2024. They have now received their salaries up to March 2025, with Addo alone earning over $420,000 for the six months.
Support staff members including Joseph Laumann, John Paintsil, Fatau Dauda, and Team Coordinator Francis Bugri Tampuli also received their respective dues, amounting to $75,000, $64,864, $19,459, and $33,000.
Despite this progress, the coaching team remains unpaid for April and May 2025, indicating ongoing financial obligations. Additionally, Maxwell Konadu, who served as assistant coach under Milovan Rajevac between September 2021 and January 2022, received $30,000 in back pay.
While the Ghana Football Association (GFA) contracted the coaches, the responsibility for salary payments traditionally rested with the government.
This long-standing issue has now been addressed, bringing closure to years of unpaid wages and reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s national team staff.