GFA has taken steps to tackle match-fixing and improve refereeing

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) says it has introduced several measures in recent years to tackle match-fixing and improve the standard of refereeing in the country.

GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the association had invested in referee welfare, training and monitoring while also taking disciplinary action against clubs involved in integrity-related issues.

He was speaking to Luv FM in Kumasi in response to concerns raised by President John Dramani Mahama about the state of Ghanaian football, including refereeing and match-fixing.

Asante Twum said the GFA welcomed the President's interest in the development of the game but stressed that the association had not ignored the challenges facing football.

"It’s good to have a President who is following the game. It’s good to have a President who has a keen interest in the development of football," he said.

"On the part of the FA, some of the issues he raised, for instance, we have worked a lot. We have done a lot in the last five or six years to find solutions to these problems."

He acknowledged that match-fixing remained a difficult issue to eliminate completely, arguing that it was a challenge faced by football organisations around the world.

"In a human institution, there are always challenges. There is no football association in the world that can, for instance, completely curb the issue of match-fixing on its own," he said.

Asante Twum said the GFA had introduced a number of measures aimed at improving the working conditions of referees.

These include transport arrangements with STC, increased allowances, insurance packages, free uniforms and boots, as well as opportunities for referees to take examinations before undergoing their KUPA tests.

The association has also introduced FIFA's criteria system to strengthen the monitoring and assessment of referees.

"We have tried different means, which is why some clubs were even banned some time ago. We have worked on improving conditions of service for referees. We have worked on bringing in interventions to help our referees," he said.

Asante Twum said referee education and training remained ongoing during the league season.

He revealed that Premier League referees recently returned to the GFA's training centre at Prampram for a three-day training programme immediately after the previous weekend's matches.

He also stressed that referees are not full-time employees of the GFA but operate as part-time service providers.

"All these referees are not full-time employees of the FA. All these referees are part-time service providers of the FA," he said.

Asante Twum questioned whether the association currently had the financial capacity to employ referees on a full-time basis.

"Do we have the capacity to engage them on a full-time basis? That is another subject. What will be the cost? That is another subject. What are the conditions? That is another subject," he added.

Asante Twum said the GFA did not regard President Mahama's comments as an attack on the association.

Instead, he said the concerns should encourage the GFA to reassess its work and find further ways of improving the game.

"It does not mean that we will be at warpath with His Excellency. It is good that he is following the sport. It is good that he has spotted certain anomalies that he feels must be checked," he said.

He added that the GFA had a responsibility to take the President's concerns seriously.

"Once the first gentleman of the land makes such assertions or claims, we just have to sit up and ensure that the things that we are doing, we do them better," he said.

Asante Twum said the association would continue working to address areas where progress had stalled and improve the wider football ecosystem.

"Those that may have fallen apart, we put things back on track and ensure that we get a better football ecosystem," he added.

The GFA Communications Director also pointed to developments in grassroots football as evidence of the association's efforts to improve the sport.

He highlighted the support provided by KGL over the past five years, which has helped the GFA organise the KGL U-17 Inter-District Colts Football competition at district, regional and national levels.

The national competition was held in Kumasi about three years ago, with the Ashanti Region winning the tournament.

"These are verifiable facts that are there for everyone to see," Asante Twum said.