Former Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah receives part payment of salary arrears

Former Black Stars coach, James Kwesi Appiah, has received part payment of for his outstanding salary and bonuses.

The coach got $70,000 out of the $185,000 the ministry owed him. 

The amount paid represents an accumulated two months’ salary out of five, in addition to the winning bonus against Sao Tome and Principe in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, in November last year.

The Sports Ministry is yet to disclose when the remaining amount of $115,000 would be paid the former national team coach.

Report according to kickgh.com indicates former backroom staff of the Black Stars who were owed  also received a two-month salary.

Prior to receiving his pay cheque, Coach Appiah threatened to drag the Ghana Football Association(GFA) to the World football governing body, FIFA, over the reluctance to clear his outstanding salaries and bonuses.

Coach Kwasi Appiah threatens legal action against GFA over unpaid salary arrears

That banter was with the Ghana Football Association, which insisted that it did not owe the coach. The association pointed to the Youth and Sports Ministry, which agreed to pay the money. 

The GFA’s Communication Director, Henry Asante, in an interview with BBC, explained that it was the government that owed the coach.

Coach Kwesi Appiah was relieved from his duties as the head coach of the Black Stars upon expiration of his contract  in December last year

Appiah coached the Black Stars from 2012 to 2014, leading the country to the 2014 World Cup, which the country exited in the first round, after a poor showing fuelled by grumbling over unpaid allowances.

His second spell was from 2017 to 2019 when in December, last year the GFA opted not to renew his contract because of Ghana’s disappointing round of 16 exit at the 2019 AFCON.