Oware-Mensah Advises Black Queens: 'Some is Better Than None' Amid Bonus Dispute

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Gifty Oware-Mensah, a member of the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association, has surprisingly defended the apparent preferential treatment given to the senior national team, the Black Stars, over other national teams.

Currently, the senior women’s national team, the Black Queens, is facing issues with unpaid bonuses from their qualification matches for both the African Women’s Cup of Nations and the 2024 Olympic Games. Each player is owed a reported $7,500, even after a 50% reduction in their bonuses. Reports indicate that the players are considering boycotting the final Olympic qualifier against Zambia on February 23 if the bonuses are not paid.

This situation arises just weeks after Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif confirmed that the Black Stars players had received their bonuses before the start of the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, despite the team’s early exit from the competition.

In an exclusive interview with Joy Sports, Gifty Oware-Mensah, who also serves as the Chairperson for the Black Queens Management Committee, appeared to downplay the Black Queens’ bonus concerns. She emphasized the Ghana Football Association’s focus on selling brands and products, with the Black Stars being the primary product with international recognition. Oware-Mensah highlighted the greater attention and affection received by the male team and expressed concern about comparing their treatment to that of the women’s team. She emphasized the importance of patriotism as the primary reason for wearing the national jersey, suggesting that receiving partial bonuses should be viewed positively.