The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has given an amount of GH¢5m to the Porcupine Warriors, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, for player recruitment and settlement of the club’s outstanding debt.
This comes barely a month after the Asantehene made the promise when he met former players and section of the supporters at the Manhyia Palace.
A reliable source at the Manhyia Palace disclosed this to the Times Sports, here, yesterday.
The meeting followed the dissolution of the Management and Board of the club led by Dr Kwame Kyei, after the expiration of their tenure.
Aimed at charting a new course for the club, the meeting discussed various pressing issues and some crucial information were also revealed.
It was disclosed that Asante Kotoko would require more than GH¢5 million to effectively run the club, including the settlement of all existing debts and aid in recruitment efforts.
It also came out that the club owed the former Chief Executive Officer, Nana Yaw Amponsah, salary arrears over GH¢ 200,000.
Furthermore, it was confirmed the players of Kotoko have been unpaid for a period of five months, highlighting the severity of the financial situation.
With the money now given to the club, the source said, recruitment would start in earnest to start pre-season preparations.
It said the Head Coach, Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum, had listed some players for approval by the Interim Management Committee, set up by the Asantehene.
At present, Kotoko are operating without a board or management, as Otumfuo Osei Tutu has entrusted the club’s fate into the hands of the IMC made up of Nana Apinkra Akwasi Awuah, Kwesi Appiah, former Black Stars Coach, Dr Prosper Narteh Ogum as the Head Coach,and Emmanuel Newton Dasobere.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
