Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 17th address to the nation gave football-loving fans something to cheer about by easing restrictions on contact sports.



In his address, he stated that football activities will kick-start on October 30, 2020, with strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols that have been carefully laid down by the government through the massive input from relevant stakeholders locally and internationally.

With the new season scheduled to take effect from November 13, Ghanaian Premier League clubs and Division One League sides are expected to test their playing body, technical team prior to the new season.

This new development has caused a stir amongst Ghanaian clubs with some suggesting they are still recovering from the massive impact of the novel coronavirus, which affected club revenues.



However, Dr Aboagye Dacosta the leader of the Risk Communication for COVID-19 National Response Team on the restart of the season has offered some financial respite to clubs confirming governments’ intention to bear the cost of testing for Premier League and Division One league players.

“Government will pay for the COVID-19 testing of the players of the Division and Premier League players,

We were engaged with the GFA, Sports Ministry before we sent our report to the government on the resumption of football. Now the Sports Ministry and the NSA must put in place measures to ensure 25 percent of the supporters will be at the stadium.

“The GFA, Sports Ministry should come out with the guidelines they presented on the COVID-19 protocols when they start the league”, he told Happy FM.

The Ghana Football Association have officially communicated November 13, 2020, as the start of the 2020-21 Ghana Premier League season.

New Edubiase Owner Abdul Salam Yakubu, has emphatically stated that his club will not accept the Covid-19 relief package that is yet to be shared amongst Ghanaian Clubs by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

This week the football association in a statement disclosed how the $1.8m received from FIFA and CAF will be disbursed to the clubs.

From the look of things, the statement has been met with a strong backlash from stakeholders of the game football in the country, which his club is no exception.

According to vocal club president, the FA needs to bring out a clear plan on how the funds will be disbursed amongst the competing clubs in the Premier and Division One league respectively.

In an interview with Asempa FM, he tasked the football association to be transparent in their dealings.

“You have to give out what a person deserves, We are all in distress and for the past, two or three seasons, Premier League clubs and Division One League clubs are not able to buy and sell players and now coronavirus has ruined everything.

Luckily enough, we now have money from CAF and FIFA for the clubs. If a club deserves $50,000, all the clubs must be given $50,000 and that is what the Executive Council must do.



When you have that money, you use it to take care of the club for some months but you don’t give me $7,000 without any explanation. It is not enough for me and my club because the money is solely for clubs.

I don’t have money at the moment and I have already told my players and the management that we are yet to receive money from the FA but with the decision of the FA, I have rejected the money and I will go and look for money to give to my players and the management.

If the FA fails to show Division One clubs the needed respect, this is how things will be. I have rejected my money and I expect the various clubs to take the FA on. I hate cheating and it is clear that the FA wants to cheat the clubs and us club owners must stand up,” he ended

Since the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, which has decimated lives all around the world and in the country, lots of clubs have been endlessly wailing to the government and other stakeholders via the football association to come to their aid.

Some clubs as part of measures to stay afloat, halved the salaries of the playing staff, technical staff, auxiliary staff and relieving others in wake of the Covid-19.

Ghanaian club owners and administrators have asked for a meeting with the GFA in the coming days to seek clarity on the disbursement of the funds.

New Edubiase, were billed to receive a paltry sum of USD$7,500 together with 48 other clubs.

President for the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Kwabena Yeboah has strongly opposed the idea for Ghana Premier League 2019-2020 to be canceled in light of coronavirus pandemic.

The league was put on hold far back in March amid a Presidential directive in efforts to mitigate the widespread of the coronavirus outbreak which had plagued the country and the rest of the world.

The coronavirus pandemic led to the suspension of major economic activities in the country and the world at large, some football associations on the African terrain (Kenya, Zambia, Mali, Ethiopia) recently suspended their leagues, which heightened massive pressure on the GFA do same.

But with other leagues (Germany, Spain, England) slowly easing their way back to playing,the renowned journalist questioned why football in the country was still not played, when other activities(market, churches, schools) had been given the green light to return to normalcy.

“We cannot continue to shut our football for long. If all the markets, churches, schools have been allowed to open with some regulations and policies to observe the protocols, then why not football”, he asked on Happy FM.



He however suggested that, if safety measures were instituted it will reduce the widespread of the coronavirus, football will be on the winning side much to the delight off everyone in the country and beyond.

“There can be spacing done at the various stadia, with people’s temperatures taken before they enter. Clubs can sell some tickets to ensure proper social distancing is observed at the venue. If we observe the right protocols we can play our football.

“For those saying we should cancel the season and wait till August, what is the guarantee that the virus will end for it to be safe to play football.”

The Ghana FA is yet to take a definite stance on the league after consultation with stakeholders.

The National Sports Authority this week released a list of 14 sporting disciplines under the “non-contact” sports category of disciplines cleared to return to action.

This development comes into reality after President Akufo-Addo’s address on Sunday evening announced an easing of restrictions that were imposed far back in March in a bid to mitigate the widespread of the deadly coronavirus which has decimated lives all around the world.

The NSA disclosed that the cleared disciplines were only scheduled to hold training regimes while on the lookout for actual dates for competitive sporting events.

The toast of Ghanaian fans, football, remains suspended as the top hierarchy of Ghana Football Association this week met with the President’s Committee on Covid-19 presenting proposals on how to make football safe again for players, technical staff, supporters and other stakeholders.

Swimming and boxing remain the biggest casualties amongst the sporting disciplines that were not cleared by the NSA.

Sporting Disciplines cleared to return:

Athletics

Badminton

Table Tennis

Tennis

Golf

Power Lifting

Weightlifting

Cycling

Draughts

Para Sports (Individual non-contact para sports)

Rowing and Canoeing

Horse Racing

Baseball and Softball

Squash

Dr. Prince Pamboe has added his voice to the numerous persons in the country that have called for the annulment of the Ghana Premier League 2019/20 football season in the country.

According to him, it will be “irresponsible to restart football without a 100% safety guarantee”.

The much-revered medical practitioner is calling for strict protocols to be instituted, followed before anyone harbors ideas of the league’s resumption.

In an interview with Accra based radio station, Asempa FM. He said, “It’s more than irresponsible to start football now without a 100% safety guarantee,”

“From the word go -we have to take time and start afresh. Those who are pushing that we start football must understand that it won’t be that easy.

“I don’t know the dynamics but if there isn’t a 100 percent safety guarantee, it won’t be proper to risk anyone’s life. Some are claiming we should play behind-closed-door – which is fine but a lot will go into it.

“The players, technical staff, administrators, and close contact staff must all be quarantined in an air-tight environment before matches.

“They must all be tested before every single league match. The cosmetic ways of doing things won’t happen. There has to be robust testing every week and the wearing of a mask.”

GHALCAA Chairman Kojo Fianoo, Ignatius Osei Fosu(Eleven Wonders), Asare Bediako of Berekum Chelsea have all waded into the calls for the cancellation of the season.

Whiles clubs like King Faisal, Berekum Chelsea, Eleven Wonders have also released statements calling for the cancelation of the season, however Medeama SC advocates for safer measures to be instituted.

Meanwhile Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has tasked the football association to come out with measures that would safeguard the restart of the league.

It remains to be seen if the Football Association will bow to the incessant pressure from stakeholders calling for the annulment of the league, like Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Congo, and others have done on the continent or still go-ahead to play football behind close doors like Germany, Korea, Japan.

In over two months since the deadly pandemic, coronavirus took center stage, it has decimated lives all over the world, rendered major economies lifeless to the bone, as such football like many other sporting disciplines has been dealt a serious blow.



This new situation has compelled lots of clubs to take drastic steps to lessen their financial woes, some have offered to reduce the wages, salaries, bonuses of players, technical staff as well as other auxiliary staff.

However in light of all these measures, clubs are still facing the hard realities of coronavirus, Chief Executive Officer of Asante Kotoko Football Club, George Amoako, who has expressed frustration at the withdrawal of sponsorship from the corporate bodies in the country.

Lots of businesses in the country have been severely affected as a result of the novel virus, laying workers off in a bid to reduce their wage structure, reducing expenses of which clubs have been affected as a result.

In an interview with Accra based Happy FM’s specially organized program to discuss the effects of Covid-19 on the sports industry, Mr. Amoako disclosed that Kotoko relied heavily on gate proceeds,complemented by corporate sponsorship.

With the absence of football the revenues of clubs have been seriously affected.

He said, “As a result of this Covid-19, corporate bodies who are supporting us monthly have stopped paying the monies because they are not getting the mileage they are expecting when the football season is on. Because we are not playing football, they are not paying the monies”.

Clubs have petitioned the Football Association and the Government for financial respite in light of the impact the virus has brought to club owners, administrators, players, and other equally important stakeholders.

The Ghana Football Association announced on Wednesday 6th May that football in the country remains suspended as the GFA continues to monitor the CODVID 19 pandemic situation in the country.

Full Statement:

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) wishes to announce that the 2019/20 football season remains on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The season has, since March 16, 2020, been suspended until further notice following government’s ban on all public gatherings.

The Executive Council at its meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, decided that the status quo remains, stating that the Association is in various engagements with Government, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the GFA Medical Committee, CAF and FIFA.

The Executive Council further decided that the Association will continue to monitor the situation and would revisit it on June 30, 2020 after a careful assessment and evaluation of the issue and to take further decisions.

The GFA will consider all the factors at the time and take all the necessary decisions to ensure the safety of all participants and the smooth completion of the season.



GFA COMMUNICATIONS

All major activities worldwide have come to a grand halt as the globe battles the deadly, Corona Virus.

In view of this, football in the country, Ghana, has also been suspended, this has led to a wide range of debate that clubs will need ample time to properly prepare once the pandemic is over and the President gives the go-ahead for a resumption of normalcy in the country.

General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association, Prosper Harrison Addo has added his voices to the many proponents by suggesting that clubs will be given time to prepare their teams adequately before the Premier League resumes.

“We must give the clubs some time to train their players and reorganise before playing football again,” Addo

“We can’t just let the clubs play immediately after the coronavirus comes to an end.

“We have to observe safety measures such as washing of hands, avoiding shaking of hands and so on.”he said on Joy FM

Ghana has so far recorded 315 confirmed cases of Covid-19, involving six deaths.