The Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Evans Bobie Opoku, has indicated that his office is unable to specify a timeline for the disbursement of bonuses to Ghana’s 2023 African Games medalists.

Prior to the commencement of the games, the sports ministry had pledged bonuses to athletes: $3,000 for a gold medal, $2,000 for silver, and $1,000 for bronze.

At a press conference jointly organized by the Local Organizing Committee and the sports ministry on Monday at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, gratitude was expressed to athletes and the Ghanaian populace for the successful hosting of the games.

Addressing attendees, Bobie Opoku emphasized the procedural nature of bonus distribution in the public sector, stating, “It’s a process. You know Ghana, if you work in the public sector you don’t just stand up and go and pick money.”

He continued, “It goes through a process. I am not the approving authority. I cannot give you a time frame. My job is to get the list and put the figures together and forward same to the appropriate authority and secure approval. When I have the approval then I can be sure and tell you tomorrow or today, but I want to assure you and the general public that, bonuses of the athletes will be paid.”

Ghana concluded the games with a historic medal tally of 69, the highest in the competition’s history. Prior to this achievement, the nation’s highest medal count was 27, achieved in 1973.