Former Sports Minister Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has lamented hefty winning bonuses paid to the senior national team, Black Stars of Ghana.

According to local media reports, an amount of $8 million has been budgeted for the team’s participation in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

The prize money for winning the tournament is $4 million as confirmed by CAF president Ahmad Ahmad.

Although the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS), denied the reports, the Black Stars players are expected to have a bonus hike as part of the purported budget.

“This is one of the biggest problems I faced during my reign as sports minister. Honestly, I don’t see why we should even pay our national team players in dollars in the first place. Every country pays their players in their own currency. If the nation is going to succeed in football it should be more about passion” Muntaka remarked.

“Obviously you can’t invite professionals footballers to national assignments and expect them to play for free but when we make the issue of money take precedence we are bound to face massive challenges. How can you play a single game and get paid more than the President of the country? It is a problem!”

The issues of winning bonus after Brazil 2014 World Cup especially emanated criticism against the national team players and indicted them as being unpatriotic.