GFA must justify why they need government support – Kyei Mensah Bonsu

Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has disclosed that the Ghana Football Association must be able to justify why the government should support them during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This comes after the Ghana Football Association and the Ghana League Clubs Association, wrote to government to support football in the wake of the global pandemic of COVID-19.

The proposal has reached cabinet level and government has invited the sector minister to defend why the government will have to support the GFA and GHALCA.

According to the MP for Suame Constituency, government will have to make further checks into what GFA and GHALCA have proposed before a decision would be taken whether to offer a support to football or not.

The MP also revealed he is privy to the tussle between the GFA and the clubs on the FIFA $500,000.00 stimulus package.

“If the GFA need financial support because of COVID-19, we need to inquire whether the GFA need the money for themselves or for the players.

“I understand there’s been a brouhaha over a $500,000 fund from FIFA with the GFA claiming the money is meant for administration purpose and not for the clubs.

“I think if they are able to justify why they need a financial support from the government, the government will do the needful. I want to see the justification for it.

“There’s a cabinet meeting this Friday. The minister responsible for sports will have to present it, we will deliberate over it and see how best government can help but it must come with sufficient justification.

“They may also have to explain to us why they have decided not to give the clubs a share a of the FIFA fund,” he told Kumasi FM.

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had directed, on 11th March, 2020 that the Minister for Finance makes available the cedi equivalent of $100 million to enhance Ghana’s Coronavirus preparedness and response plan, and it’s the hope of the GFA that government considers them in the stimulus package.