The storm over bonuses paid to the senior national team, the Black Stars, is set to escalate further after Youth and Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye suggested he would scrap them soon.

Mr Vanderpuye has already negotiated for a reduction in bonus from $10,000 to $8,000 but wants to take the fight to the next level.

The Sports Minister reckons paying players bonuses for qualifiers without paying athletes for a similar process is unfair and blames a lack of orientation for that.

“The minister is able to negotiate winning bonus from 10,000 to 8.000 dollars. Even that the minister is crucified,” he said. “Even to me, nobody would be paid a pesewa for playing any qualifying series anywhere in this world. I don’t even understand. Why should a footballer play in a Cup of Nations qualifier and be paid winning bonus but an athlete goes through the same process for Olympic Games and is not paid?  But that footballer is not grateful.”

Rumours were rife before the most recent game against Mauritius that the players had opposed the idea of being camped at the Alisa Hotel and that they preferred that they wanted to lodge at the Movenpick Hotel.

The minister says he will not allow any player to hold the country to ransom in issues such as this one.

“He will be asking that the country buys him a business class ticket before he plays for Ghana. He doesn’t want to sleep in Alisa hotel but wants Movenpick.  But you don’t blame him. We never to develop the mental capacity of that player to play for Ghana so he thinks that by playing for Ghana he is rather doing the country a favour meanwhile playing for Ghana adds value to that person,” he said.

“I believe seriously that before anyone is chosen, he is offering a national service. If he is being paid it is because the country recognises that. That person must be grateful to the country that out of the millions, this country has given him the opportunity,” he added.

By Yaw Ofosu Larbi|TV3 Sports|Ghana