Media reports that 30 brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles have been earmarked to be presented to the national football team, Black Stars, is believed to be part of an undisclosed package by some corporate bodies which President John Dramani Mahama announced last week at the Flagstaff House when he hosted the team.
President Mahama, apart from announcing a $25,000 bonus offered to the Stars by their headline sponsors, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, also revealed that the team’s official bank, uniBank, and other corporate organisations had lined up other rewards in recognition of the team’s gallant display as runners-up at the just-ended 2015 AFCON.
The Stars lost 8-9 on penalties to their age-long foes, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, in one of AFCON’s most gruelling final matches.
But there seems to be silence over the Cherokee SUVs, believed to be procured from Tanink Ghana Ltd, local dealers of Jeep vehicles, the cost which is said to hover around $75,000 each for the 23 players and seven officials who made the Stars squad at the AFCON hosted by Equatorial Guinea.
Insiders tell the Graphic Sports that they suspected the vehicles were part of proposed reward packages being arranged by corporate bodies and not vehicles being procured by the state for the players and technical staff.
Indeed, none of the players contacted by the Graphic Sports yesterday confirmed receipt or knowledge of any such SUV package to the team.
George Afriyie, Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, told the paper that the team was unaware of the package from Tanink Ghana, explaining that so far only uniBank, official bank of the team, had responded.
“Even that package was received by the players while in Equatorial Guinea. Of course, I will not be surprised if some corporate bodies respond ,” he stated.
