The Black Queens, have issued a direct rebuttal to the statement from the Ministry of Sports and Recreation insisting that the Ministry’s public response failed to address them despite repeated efforts to resolve the matter privately.
In the statement, the players said they made several attempts to reach the Ministry over unresolved concerns but received no acknowledgment, clear update, or meaningful communication in return.
They argued that as the individuals directly affected, they deserved to be heard and engaged with before any public statement was released on their behalf.
“Going public was not our preferred choice,” the players said, describing it instead as a last resort taken only after their attempts at direct communication were met with continued silence.
They maintained that had the Ministry engaged them directly, they would have preferred to settle the matter privately and constructively, and stressed that their intention was not to create conflict but to seek basic communication, respect, transparency, and accountability.
Dispute Over Per Diem Payment Dates
On the matter of per diems, the players said their official camp began on 11 July, and questioned why payments were not made from that date. They noted that the Ministry’s statement referenced payments running from 26 July onward, but argued that the period between 11 and 26 July constitutes official camp duty that should also be accounted for and clarified.
Players Question Absence of Qualification Bonus
The players also addressed the question of winning and qualification bonuses, stating that the same Minister and Ministry paid them a qualification bonus the previous year, which they said made the current claim that no qualification bonus exists under the present framework surprising.
According to the statement, the Minister visited their training session on 28 July and informed the squad that the Ministry’s accountant would bring their qualification bonuses for their match against Egypt.
When the accountant arrived, the players said, he brought only $700, an amount he also shared on his own social media, which they say did not match the qualification bonus they had been told to expect.
We are not trying to create conflict. We are simply asking for basic communication, respect, transparency and accountability from those responsible for supporting the Black Queens.” Black Queens Players’ Statement
“We Are Asking for Better Treatment”
On broader support for the team, the players said they were not seeking special treatment, only better treatment, arguing that as representatives of Ghana they deserve respect, transparency, and proper support.
They further asked when the first dedicated budget was allocated specifically to the Black Queens, framing the question as part of their wider call for clarity on how the team has historically been resourced.