The Group Of Eminent Football Administrators Retreat Communiqué At The Best Western Premier Accra Airport Hotel On Friday, 11th And Saturday, 12th July, 2014

After two days of deliberations, the following recommendations were made by participants of the Eminent Football Administrators & Stakeholders Retreat:-

1.0 That the philosophy of the novel Eminent Persons in Football Retreat, a non-partisan, all-inclusive platform for brainstorming on matters affecting topical issues relating to the promotion and development of the national sport should be extended by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to cover all other sporting disciplines separately; and same for each sporting discipline should be organized and hosted by the Ministry on biennial basis.

To the extent that after every All-Africa, Commonwealth and Olympic Games events, such a forum could be institutionalized as requisite vehicle as a post-event evaluation process to review the nation's participation in the games, assess benchmarks set prior to the games to ensure value-for-money and advise on the workplan towards the next games. And also that, whilst the Ministry shall have to commit publicly to the adoption and implementation of any communiqué emanating therefrom after due process, there should always be an accompanying time frame for such an implementation plan.

2.0 That as part of this process, the Ministry is required to advance the passing of the National Sports and Sports Tourism Bill as a matter of urgency to provide the framework for the establishment of sports as an emerging industry in Ghana; and positioning it to become one of the major drivers of the economy in terms of job creation, infrastructure development, entertainment and sports tourism, commerce, socio-political effect, foreign-exchange earner, youth empowerment, talents and skills development, entrepreneurship, fight against streetism and other consequential benefits to the national good. And also that, it would correspondingly be necessary for the Ministry to consider the need to reconstitute the Board of the National Sports Authority as part of overall strategies for strengthening the base for the sustainable development and growth of all sports disciplines to serve various interests and talents in the country.

3.0 Specifically on the matter of Football Development in Ghana, the Eminent Football Administrators Retreat recommends as follows for the consideration of the Ministry in its engagement with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for onward consideration by the Congress of the Association:-

3.1 That the GFA must review its structures of Congress, Executive and Emergency Committees, and ensure that representations to serve on these committees are composed of competent, technically-knowledgeable persons with substantial expertise.

3.2 That there is the need to have stringent measures by the GFA in licensing clubs in the areas of financial standing and competent officials. That there is also the need for the clubs to have access to good training pitches and facilities, in conformity with FIFA laws of the game.

3.3 That the GFA Secretariat should be served by a competent person; and that there should be a substantive General Secretary by the third quarter of the year as the concept of acting position is not good for effective and efficient management.

3.4 That the GFA should operate by its own rules and regulations to help build efficiency, internal trust, respect and cohesion amongst its members.

3.5 That the GFA should review its compensation packages and structures as part of adequately resourcing its Secretariat and motivating personnel.

3.6 That the Government should re-visit the issue of a Cabinet Sub-Committee for Sports, especially National Teams; and that the Public Interest Committee (PIC) should be revamped to make it more vibrant in the discharge of its terms of reference (TOR);

3.7 That past and core GFA members must be adopted as non-voting members of the GFA Congress, believing that their rich and diverse experiences would inure to strengthening the consultative base of its decision-making processes.

3.8 That the tenure of office for the President of GFA must be 2 terms of 4 years each term, giving him a total term of 8 years only. However that, any out-going President, who has served two terms can only be re-elected to serve further terms b Congress, if they appreciate his performance while in office. The application can be done by any incumbent, a month to his leaving office to the Congress secretariat and shall require 75 per cent of the congress delegates present and voting.

3.9 That there is a poor maintenance culture as far as the nation's sports facilities are concerned. To this end, the Government is called upon to outsource the management of the existing Accra, Baba Yara, Sekondi and Tamale Stadia to the private sector for the needed maintenance and as a platform to generate revenue for general sports development and promotion, including the unassigned space designed for a 3-star hotel facility at the Tamale and Sekondi Stadia of 40-room each.

3.10 That each team or club must be attached to a training pitch or stadium as part of the structure for affiliation to the GFA. To this end, the Government is encouraged as a matter of social intervention through the MMDAs to provide sports infrastructure at all the districts, and to be constructed within the next 5 years (2014-2018). And also that the GFA should through its Regional Associations promote and organise structured league systems at all district levels to take advantage and optimize the use of such facilities; and further that the GFA should review the zoning system for national first and second division leagues to promote enhanced regional integration and broaden the base for unearthing talents.

3.11 That the Government should re-visit the matter of Government / Ministry support for all local clubs including women and juvenile sports in Ghana.

3.12 That there is the need to encourage and make it mandatory for all players aged below 17 years to have formal education. And again, that the issue of phasing out the current Under-20 league to be replaced by an Under-17 league should be executed over 2 years.

Furthermore that the Government should support the GFA to shift support to football academies through a three-tier approach; namely (a) Government provides the enabling incentives such as tax breaks for private individuals to establish football academies; (b) Support is given to professional football clubs who show evidence of viable youth development; and (c) Government encourages international and local investors who do business with it to establish Football Academies as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR); and that a program of talent development and export should be pursued as a conscious national football policy.

3.13 That the GFA and the Clubs should ensure that financial transparency and accountability is generated around their brand to attract corporate sponsors, who most often than not, want to benefit from brand association. That in marketing themselves to the corporate world, clubs should be able to highlight the benefits that commercial partners are likely to obtain by associating with them; and that Clubs should also pursue sponsorship in kind to support specific budget lines like water, medicals, fuel, insurance etc.