Division Two Clubs facing financial problems in North

Tamale, March 17, GNA - Division Two Clubs in the Northern Region are facing serious financial problems, which if not solved immediately would make the Regional Football Association (RFA) unable to organize the league this year.

The Northern Regional Football Association requires the 12 Clubs to provide three million cedis each to be able to organise the league successfully in April but the Clubs can only afford only 300,000 cedis each.

Alhaji Adam Munkaila, Chairman of the RFA said this at an emergency meeting to discuss and arrive at how best the problem could be solved to ensure a smooth competition, which is expected to start this April. He said the Clubs have been zoned into four and the RFA needs money for medicals, accommodation, feeding, and equipment such as footballs, football nets, football boots and officiating fees as well as transportation to and from the various league centres.

The Regional Chairman said the RFA was in charge of Women's soccer, Colts teams, U-17 and other sporting activities in the Region but said that there was no grant for such events and called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the Ghana Football Association to intervene to assist the Clubs out of their predicament.

Alhaji Munkaila said due to the vastness of the Region, the Association was extremely difficult to organise events because of lack of adequate funds adding that, "Imagine one traveling from Bamboi to Kpandai, the journey is just like one traveling from Tamale to Accra." He also appealed to the District Assemblies in the Region, the private sector and benevolent individuals and institutions to help in the sports development of the region since there were a lot of potentials to be unearthed.

The four zones to honour the league matches are Savelugu in the Savelugu/Nanton District to host the Golden Boys from Gambaga, Yoo FC of Savelugu and the Reformers from Kpembe near Salaga.

Damongo in the West Gonja District would host zone II, which consist of Mole Nationals, Yagbon Stars from Bole and All Stars from Tamale. Walewale in the West Mamprusi District is the venue for zone III and the teams to play there are the Shooting Stars from Nyankpala, in the Tolon Kumbungu District, West Mamprusi United from Walewale and Soccer Warriors from Tamale while Yendi in the Yendi District is also hosting the Timu Stars from Salaga, Gbewaa FC of Yendi and Young Stars from Zabzugu. 17 March 07