Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council member Nana Sarfo Oduro has revealed they are are open to lending a helping hand to embattled Asante Kotoko to provide some relief amidst their financial crisis.
The Porcupines Warriors have until May 10 to clear a Fifa fine of $240,000 (€218,915) after being found guilty of breaching regulations in their signing of Emmanuel Clottey from Tunisian outfit Esperance in 2015.
While earlier reports said the Ghana Premier League side would be demoted to the second tier should they fail to cough up the amount, latest news indicates the Kumasi-based fold could be handed a transfer ban instead.
“I am not speaking with authority, I am only sharing my opinion: I think the GFA does not know Kotoko’s financial strength, they [Kotoko] have to organise themselves and raise a substantial sum," Sarfo told Asempa FM.
“If they are able to do that and eventually write to the FA for financial assistance, then the FA, per the Executive Council, will look at it and if we can help, why not?
"You know we [GFA] are having our own financial issues to deal with, for which we’ve requested support from government.
"But maybe we can do some interventions on their [Kotoko] behalf. It's a club to club arrangement between Kotoko and Esperance], but the [Ghanaian and Tunisian] federations can go behind [for talks] and some guarantees could be given."
Kotoko, arguably Ghana's biggest club and the most successful side in the history of the Premier League with 23 titles, have said they intend to call upon their supporters to contribute to settling the fine.
Research by the African Sports Centre for Data, Research and Technology (ASC) pegged the club's fanbase at 41 per cent, the biggest by any of the sides in the league.
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