Sports News of Wednesday, 7 November 2018
Source: ghanasportsonline.com
2018-11-07
President of the Normalization Committee, Kofi Amoah
The Ghana FA Normalisation Committee is strongly lobbying with government for a GHS7m sponsorship deal for 64 clubs for the upcoming Special Competition to bring back organised football in the West African country.
The amount, which is equivalent to $1.5m, would go directly into the payment of appearance fees, match bonuses, scheme for Man of the Match Awards, officiating fees, prize money, other competition expenses and not as has been reported as operational expenses for the Normalisation Committee in malicious publications by anti-Normalisation Committee media outlets.
The four-member FIFA appointed team led by Dr Kofi Amoah told a Ghanaian parliamentary select committee on sports that the government funding will go a long way to lessen the burden on football clubs who have been struggling under the heavy demands of a non-existent financial flesh within the Ghanaian football space.
While the Committee is working around the clock to introduce new reforms in regulations, structural adjustment and direction to the running of football in a more professional, developmental, and business-oriented direction within its stipulated 6-month period, the visionary Committee is channeling part of its focus on bringing government funding for club football back into the discussion.
Majority of Ghanaian football administrators have been calling on the government to invest in club football with propounders and subscribers of the opinion advancing their debate on the numerous social and economic benefits club football gives to the state. Many have cited examples from advanced jurisdictions like England, the North African regions and even cross-border neighbours Nigeria where there is government support for club football.
But, watchers within the football system are calling for proper accountability and transparency from clubs to merit their demands of the government.
As clubs have been dogged with bad reputation and image under the umbrella of the previous GFA administration led by banned ex-President Kwesi Nyantakyi have failed to draw the needed corporate funding, Dr Amoah and his team is heading towards the direction of seeking from government to directly inject financial boost into the football system.
And, they intend to start this by convincing government to invest heavily in the running of local club football as a motivational factor to draw corporate bodies into funding football.
While government through the parliamentary select committee is weighing up the proposal, the established businessman is expected to strongly lobby for the state to take the initial steps in reintroducing government funding for club football by tabling the $1.5m offer to the clubs.
The request for funding before the select committee is not operational funds for the Normalisation Committee as claimed in fake reports by outlets which bear leanings to some members of the collapsed former GFA administration.