A former chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Nana Sam Brew Butler says despite the dire financial situation of premier league clubs they were capable of playing the 18-club league adopted by the Elective Congress on Friday at the College of Surgeons and Physicians in Accra.
“The Premier League Clubs must get themselves ready despite the gloomy financial outlook of most of them; majority agreed that it was the best way to go and therefore we must brace ourselves for the season ahead.
Also, there is the need to start the new era on a clean slate and if that meant an end to the protracted legal wrangling and an 18-club league, we must embrace it and work accordingly to make it a success”, he said as he engaged a section of the media at the close of congress.
Prior to the start of the main agenda which was to elect a new head of the GFA, delegates voted overwhelmingly when 64 members approved the decision of the Normalisation Committee (NC) to adopt Great Olympics and King Faisal back into the Ghana Premier League (GPL).
The number represented the 50 plus 1 votes required by the GFA statues to formalise the decision.
By the decision, the Premier League Clubs have been increased from the traditional 16 to 18 for the 2019/2020 football season with five instead of the usual three to be relegated at the end of the season.
Great Olympics and King Faisal, both division one clubs, have been engaged in protracted legal battles over the years with the GFA after deeming their relegation from the top flight an ‘adverse to justice’.
General Secretary of the FA, Mr Alex Asante, who led the process on behalf of the NC, proposed to delegates that as part of the NC mandate to ensure that the FA was ushered into a new era bereft of lingering legal issues ongoing between clubs and the FA, it was important delegates accepted the proposal.
There was an initial disagreement to the proposal with some delegates suggesting that the proposal was an ‘ambush’ and a ‘big decision that required grave considerations.’
However, newly-elected Executive Council member Randy Abbey took the floor and delivered a compelling address urging candidates to accept the proposal of the NC as it sought to bring finality to the legal tussle between the parties, paving the way for a fresh start.
The motion on his view was moved and seconded immediately with members voting in favour of the decision to adopt the two clubs.
Further, members unanimously agreed to the abrogation of the 2018/2019 season which was postponed indefinitely due to Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ documentary that rocked Ghana Football last June.
However, the NC’s proposal for congress to adopt November 17 for the commencement of the new football season was rejected by delegates who contended that since the NC’s mandate would have elapsed by the proposed date, it was appropriate that the decision was left to the new president and his Executive Council.
Speaking on the elections, Nana Butler congratulated new GFA boss, Mr Kurt Okraku on his new role as well as delegates for providing camaraderie –like atmosphere that ensured a peaceful process.
He admonished the new president and his executives to deliver on their mandate as it was the reason delegates endorsed them for the position.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO
