By: Kwame Bediako
Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has called for increased financial rewards for the Black Queens following their impressive third-place finish at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
He emphasized that Ghana’s women’s national football team deserves pay parity with the Black Stars, citing the Affirmative Action Act as both a legal and ethical basis for this demand.
Awuah urged the Minister for Sports and Recreation to enforce the provisions of the Affirmative Action Act to ensure that the Black Queens receive earnings comparable to their male counterparts.
“The situation where the Black Stars earn so much money, but the women earn very little, is unfair and breaches the spirit and letter of the Affirmative Action Act,” he stated.
He respectfully appealed to the Minister to award the Black Queens “huge bonuses” similar to those given to the Black Stars at various stages of major tournaments.
The Black Queens clinched the bronze medal at WAFCON 2024 after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout victory over South Africa, earning a $350,000 cash prize. This achievement marks a significant milestone for women’s football in Ghana and across the continent.
Their performance was celebrated nationwide, including a hero’s welcome in Accra, with commendations from officials of the Ghana Football Association and the Ministry of Sports.
Awuah highlighted that the Black Stars typically receive substantial bonuses even for advancing beyond group stages and argued that the Black Queens should be rewarded under the same affirmative action policy framework.
“If the Black Stars had won even bronze, they wouldn’t just be given speeches — they’d be given huge sums of money,” he remarked.
The MP concluded by calling for financial rewards that reflect the Black Queens’ dedication, skill, and achievement, insisting that equitable treatment is long overdue.
