The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif has confirmed that the country spent $3 million in the recently ended AFCON tournament in neighboring, Cote D’Ivoire. 

Ghana qualified for the continent’s tournament and was housed in Group B, which had, Egypt, Mozambique, and Cape Vere but failed to advance past the group stages in a second competition running.

READ MORE : Former President Kufuor launches The JA Kufuor Cup.

 Ussif announced during his visit to parliament on Wednesday that the initial budget was set at $8.5 million, with $5 million disbursed by the Finance Ministry to cover various expenses such as diems, flights, medicals, equipment, logistics, hospitality, and others.

He however intimated that a total sum of $2 million was unused following the BlackStar’s failure to advance past the group stages. 

“Our estimated budget for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament was $8,506,450.00 to cater for the team’s pre-tournament and the tournament phases (group stages, 1/16 stage, quarter-final, semi-final, and final),” he stated.

“Out of the $8,506,450.00, $5,071,840.36 was released by the Ministry of Finance of which US$3,070,067.81 was spent on per diems, flight arrangements for the team, medicals, equipment, logistics, and hospitality. This resulted in a surplus of $2,001,772.55, after our exit from the tournament,” he elaborated.

“An amount of US$400,000.00 was received from MTN Ghana. This contributed immensely in complementing the Government’s expenditure towards the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament,” he added.

READ MORE: Maccabi Netanya announces the signing of Ghana’a Ibrahim Tanko

The Sports Minister is expected to take steps in conjunction with the GFA and other relevant bodies to change the face of dwindling Ghana Football which has received in recent years. 

Cote d’Ivoire staged an impressive comeback to win at the expense of Nigeria at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

The Nigerians’ run to the finals saw them topping a group with 7 points, two wins against, the host and Guinea Bissau, and a draw against Equatorial Guinea. 

READ MORE: Troost- Ekong, Ron Williams, Nsue, Adingra win big at AFCON 2023

They followed up with wins against Cameroon, Angola, and South Africa in the semi-finals to book a date against the host once again, whom they had earlier beaten in the group stages. 

Meanwhile, the host needed a win from Morocco against Zambia to steal themselves back into a competition, they nearly exited the group stages. 

The host defeated defending champions, Senegal and carried on with wins against Mali and DR Congo lifting them to the finals. 

In the finals, William Troost-Ekong shot Nigeria ahead seven minutes before halftime with a stunning header from nine yards out from a corner.

READ MORE: Ivory Coast beat DR Congo to set up final with Nigeria at AFCON 2023

The energetic Franck Kessie pulled his team on level with a thumping header in the 62nd minute of the game. 

Nine minutes to end the match proceedings, the exciting Brighton prospect, Simon Adingra who had his elementary football training at the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana teed up Seb Haller, who cleverly nicked in the second goal to send the home fans into ruptures cheers and jeers.

The host held on to victory, becoming the first country since Egypt in 2006 to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as host nation.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023 : Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue wins PUMA Golden Boot award

This win also aids them in basking in their third AFCON triumph since their first and second in, 1992,2015.

For Nigeria, they were looking to win the trophy after their last triumph in 2013.

The 34^th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations saw Cote d’Ivoire dramatically beat Nigeria with other individuals rewarded for their exploits at the end of the tournament. 

Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue scooped the top scorer award at the just-ended TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue wins PUMA Golden Boot award

He emerged as the victor of the award with five goals from four games in the tournament.
The highlight of this feat was his first and only hat trick against host Cotê d’Ivoire at the Alassane Outtara Sports Stadium in Abidjan.

                             Emilio Nsue with the top goal scorer award

Côte d’Ivoire youngster, Simon Adingra, was also named the Best Young Player of the Tournament at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

READ MORE: Former Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet interested in Black Stars job
The young sensation had his elementary football training with Ghana’s Right to Dreams Academy was a breath of fresh air in the games that he played. His dazzling skillset, and mazy runs, which was a consistent worry for any oppositions like Senegal, Mali, DR Congo, and Nigeria he played against in the tournament.

                                                            Simon Adingra

Emerse Fae picked up the Best Coach of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after historically leading his home nation to an impressive victory on home soil over Nigeria.

READ MORE : AFCON2023: Côte d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra bags Best Young Player of the Tournament award
The former France youth team coach led his country to victory after former coach, Jean-Louis Gasset was relieved from his duties as the side neared elimination.
Fae managed vital wins against, defending champions, Senegal, Mali, and DR Congo and enthrone it with a dramatic winner over Nigeria in the finals.

                                              Emerson Fae

Nigeria captain, William Troost-Ekong’s mouthwatering exemplary leadership skills went unnoticed as he ended the night acknowledged as the Best Player of the Tournament.
His exceptional leadership skills at the back saw him carry Nigeria through the group stages to the finals scoring three goals in seven games.

                                                         Troost- Ekong

Bafana Bafana shot-stopper, Ronwen Williams’ heroics in the penalty shoot-out against, Equatorial Guinea and DR Congo him eclipse Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabili for the Ecobank Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.

                            Ronwen Williams (South Africa)

Côte d’Ivoire was the biggest winner of the night as they finished off Nigeria in a three-goal thriller to do the host and win after Egypt in 2026. The win sees them sees them win their third trophy of AFCON since, 1992 and 2015.

TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Winners List:

Winner: Cote d’Ivoire
Finalist: Nigeria
Third: South Africa
Fourth: Democratic Republic of Congo
TotalEnergies Best Player: William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)
Puma Golden Boat: Emilio Nsue Lopez
Best Ecobank Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Fair-Play Air Côte d’Ivoire Team: South Africa

Equatorial Guinea captain, Emilio Nsue scooped the top scorer award at the just-ended TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The tournament which came to an end on Sunday saw the host Cotê d’Ivoire beat Nigeria in a fiercely contested game at the Alassane Outtara Sports Stadium in Abidjan.

READ MORE : AFCON2023: Côte d’Ivoire’s Simon Adingra bags Best Young Player of the Tournament award
Nsue opened his account with the Nzalang Nacional with the tournament’s first and only hatrick Guinea Bissau in the second game of the group stages games.
The forward was however on top of his game yet again with a brace against the host in a thumping 4-0 victory in the last game of the group stages.
Equatorial Guinea was ousted in their round-of-16 tie against Guinea but the captain managed to win the coveted award with five goals followed closely by Angola’s Jacinto Dala with 4 goals.

READ MORE : AFCON 2023 : Côte d’Ivoire boss Emerse Fae wins Best Coach Award
Nsue joins a bandwagon of elite forwards, Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Vincent Aboubakar, and Odion Ighalo, who bagged the trophy some years ago in the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON tournament.