Director of Operations for the Professional Golfers Association of Ghana (PGA), Mr Ahmed Padori, has urged the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to consider professional golfers in its stimulus package for athletes.
Mr Padori told the Times Sports on Monday that “PGA members are not rich,” stressing that they have to play or train golfers to earn a living.
The YEA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Sports Authority (NSA) to provide monthly stimulus packages for athletes for the next six months, following the outbreak of COVID-19 which has led to the halt of all sporting activities in the country.
Per the agreement, GH¢500 monthly allowance would be offered by YEA to support 1,000 able and disabled athletes in the country.
Five hundred slots out of the module would be given to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), with 400 and 100 going to the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) respectively, according to the CEO of YEA, Mr Justin Kodua.
But PGA has tabled its proposal to the YEA through the NSA to extend the package to cover about 75 of its members who are mostly youth and unemployed and have also been hit by the impact of COVID-19.
“People are of the view that golfers are rich but that is not the case of PGA. The amateur golfers may be well-to-do but PGA members have to play tournaments and win or train amateur golfer to earn income,” Mr Padori told Times Sports.
He added: “We are yet to meet the DG of NSA to explain issues to him to recognise our members.”
Mr Padori believes any help from the YEA will be judiciously utilised to support the professional golfers.
“Although we have 75 members who need help at this moment, we would appreciate whatever help we receive from the government to support unemployed youth,” Mr Padori said.
The PGA leadership is expected to meet the NSA Chief to put across why their members should be supported.
