Oduro Sarfo Defends GFA’s $5,000 Fuel Allocation in Black Stars Budget
Executive Council member of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Oduro Sarfo, has justified the controversial proposal to allocate $5,000 for fuel-related expenses, despite widespread public criticism.
The proposal, which formed part of the GFA’s $2 million budget for Ghana’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali, was trimmed down after government’s review. The Ministry of Sports and Recreation eventually approved $1.3 million, rejecting certain allocations, including the proposed $10,000 payment to management committee members.
While many questioned the relevance of the fuel request, Oduro Sarfo stressed that the decision was not arbitrary.
“The fuel budget is not for the Black Stars bus alone. It extends to vehicles for referees, match commissioner and other key officials,” he explained.
He further dismissed the public outcry as either unfounded or mischievous.
“Anyone reducing it to just the team bus is either exposing their ignorance or intentionally peddling lies,” he added.
The revelations came after Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams, disclosed details of the GFA’s initial budget during a press briefing on Tuesday.
In response, the GFA has announced it will provide a full clarification only after the two qualifiers are completed.
Meanwhile, the Black Stars are set to face Chad in N’Djamena on Thursday at 1 PM, before returning to host Mali in Accra on Monday at 7 PM, as part of their Group I World Cup qualifying campaign.
