Ghana League Clubs chief Fianoo livid by football snub in national stimulus package 

Ghana League Clubs Association (Ghalca) chairman Kudjoe Fianoo is unhappy by the exclusion of sports from a Government of Ghana stimulus package for businesses in the wake of the coronavirus disruptions.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Ghalca, through the Ghana Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) and its sub-body the National Sports Authority (NSA) had presented a proposal to the government with the hope of benefits.

Recently development, however, indicates sports was not stated as a beneficiary of the funds released.

“I’ve heard from the deputy minister for Youth and Sports and the board chairman for the NSA confirming sports was not considered in government’s stimulus package,” Fianoo told Kumasi FM.

“It’s painful hearing it from these people because they are the leaders of our sports. They have to be blamed if the government did not consider our proposal because our request was made through them, they failed in their duties.

“We are all here, we will see party apparatchiks who turn into cheerleaders who will rush to join the team [Black Stars] when they qualify for a tournament.

“If the government is not ready to help us, it is the nation that loses. This is an eye-opener to the clubs, in our rush for football to resume, people want to take us for granted. We have not asked the government to put money in the pocket of club owners."

Football has been one of the hardest-hit sectors by the pandemic as all competitions, including the men and women's Premier League and FA Cup competitions, ground to a halt on March 15 when a national ban was placed on all public gatherings.

“We claim football is the passion of the nation, these club owners are suffering due to Covid-19 and government is not ready to help them?" Fianoo quizzed.

“If these people decide not to invest in football again, they will not be arrested.

“We are all here, we will see what will happen to the ‘passion of the nation’. Something must be done to save football. We will need to reassemble and decide the next step."