Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) chairman, Cudjoe Fianoo has descended on the Sports Ministry and National Sports Authority (NSA) after government left Sports specifically football in the stimulus package.
According to him, NSA and the Sports Ministry are to blame for government not considering football in the disbursement of the stimulus package amid the Covid-19 crisis.
The covid-19 crisis has affected almost every sector of the economy likewise the football industry and clubs have called for government’s help.
Ghanaian clubs’ traditional means of revenue being the gate proceeds during match days has been halted due to the suspension of the league amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Perry Okudzeto over the weekend disclosed that the football industry will not have a share of government’s stimulus package because it is meant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“The stimulus package we know is for SMEs and football or sports is not included in the package that is being rolled out.”
Reacting to the matter, Fianoo noted that the Sports Ministry and the NSA did not do a good job by convincing government to consider football in the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme.
The GFA and GHALCA last month through Sports Ministry sent a plea to government to be considered for the stimulus package.
“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,”
“It’s painful hearing it from these people because they are the leaders of our sports. They have to be blamed if government did not consider our proposal because our request was made through them, they failed in their duties,” he told Kumasi FM
He stressed if the state fails to come to the aid of football clubs, the nation will be the biggest loser.
“We are all here, we will see party apparatchiks who turn into cheer leaders who will rush to join the team [Black Stars] when they qualify for a tournament,”
“If 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 government to put money in the pocket of club owners,”
“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? he queried.
“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,” he concluded.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last week launched the GH¢600 million stimulus package to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) negatively affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The stimulus package is expected to ease down the financial challenges suffered by sectors due to the coronavirus.
