President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has addressed the growing calls for the publication of the Black Stars budget, stating that he has no issue with transparency but believes the focus on football alone is misplaced.
Public discussion around the team’s expenditure has intensified in recent months, largely because the senior national team receives financial backing from the government.
Since assuming office, Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has made it standard practice to publicly announce the team’s budget ahead of international assignments — a development that has reportedly generated mixed reactions within football circles.
Speaking in an interview with Asaase Radio, Okraku questioned the selective scrutiny.
“I don’t have any problem with making the Black Stars budget public. But why are we not asking every sector to also make their budgets public, and why only Black Stars? Why create confusion where there’s no need for confusion? The GFA is a private entity,” he stated.
Okraku maintained that accountability should not be limited to football alone. According to him, if transparency is to be pursued, it must extend to all sectors that benefit from public funds rather than placing exclusive attention on the national team.
The topic of Black Stars expenditure often resurfaces during major tournaments, with many Ghanaians demanding clarity on how resources are allocated and spent. The GFA president, however, insists the association operates within established financial and administrative frameworks while continuing to manage national team engagements and long-term development programmes.
Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana has set aside 150 million Ghana cedis (approximately $13.7 million) to support preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At the tournament, Ghana will compete against Panama, England, and Croatia in the group stage.
