GHALCA explains new move

Accra, Oct 17, GNA - The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) has said it has never claimed the legal right to run football in the country but rather, advocating for the restructuring of the management of the league effective 2005 soccer season.

Reacting to criticisms by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) over the association's new move, Mr Joseph Yaw Appiah Chairman of GHALCA said though SWAG posses the right to comment on such national issues, "it must be based on facts and not figment of anybody's imagination."

Mr Appiah said: "we are therefore, surprised that SWAG will establish such a premise and proceed to pontificate it". He said though GHALCA welcomes a thorough debate on the issue, it would serve the interest of the nation if such debates were based on facts and not fiction.

GHALCA is proposing an independent body to run the premier league on pure professional grounds adding that ten years of professional league in Ghana has been without success.

The Chairman said the association has put in place three committees to work on the proposed restructuring of the league and will submit their draft at a stakeholders meeting for adoption as a blue print to be forwarded to the GFA for recommendation.

The issue is to be discussed thoroughly at the next GFA congress, which as the power to effect any amendment for the new league to start. GHALCA early last week advocated for the restructuring of the management of the league effective 2005 after 10 years of little success, but this, has been described by SWAG as unconstitutional quoting article three of the statues of the GFA.

SWAG is of the view that the responsibility of running the league falls under the ambit of the Professional League Board under article eight of the GFA's regulations and until that is changed, "no other body has the mandate to run the league". We're only advocating for the restructuring of the management of league- GHALCA Accra, Oct. 17, GNA - The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) said it is not hijacking the running of the Premier League from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) but rather, advocating for the restructuring of the management of the league after 10 years of little success.

GHALCA is proposing that the league be managed by a group of professionals who will be employed based on competence and will have at the apex of the structure, a Board of governors comprising club representatives.

The association's Chairman Joseph Y. Appiah said at a press conference in Accra on Friday that the new move which kick-starts in 2005 is sequel to the inconsistency in the calendar of the GFA, frequent disruption in the league, lack of or inadequate sponsorship, annual ritual of player qualification and disqualification among a host of other reasons.

As a first step, GHALCA has set up three preparatory committees in the areas of public relations, marketing and sponsorship, legal and institutional framework and finance and technical which are to submit a draft proposal to the association's executive by the end of the month. The draft proposal is to be presented at a stakeholders meeting for adoption as a blue print to be forwarded to the GFA Executive Council for recommendation.

Mr Appiah said the proposal would be thoroughly discussed at the next GFA congress, which has the power to effect any amendment necessary for the restructuring to kick-start.

The press conference also addressed by Mr Randy Abbey and R. O. Solomon, members and Kudoje Fianoo, Administrative Manager of the association said, GHALCA is sourcing for cooperation in the areas technical support, exchange of programmes and other areas that will be mutually agreed by the two.

A five-member study group, which toured South Africa, recently, also had talks with Mr Danny Jordan, Chairman of the South African Football Association to help secure sponsorship for the new league. In addition, CHALCA is also lobbying the boss of soft drink giant Coca Cola in Africa to sponsor the league.

If the intent materialises, the GFA will only be in charge of the national teams and would have to submit its programmes for each year well in advance to be incorporated into the itinerary of handlers of the new league to avoid clash of programmes.