Let's promote the Ghana Premier League - Saanie Daara appeals to media

Former Communication Director of the Ghana Football Association Ibrahim Sanni Daara has made a clarion call on the Ghainian media to ensure the new football season receives the attention it deserves.

Mr Daara believes the Ghanaian media fraternity has a big role to play in the paradigm shift to bring the domestic football back to it's feet.

"The domestic leagues make Ghana football," he said.

"Ghana football is a complete chain that directly affects us, entertains us and creates opportunity not only for the clubs, players and fans but also all of us working the media."

The Ghana Premier League over the years has suffered some setbacks, much of which has been blamed on bad media reportage.

But Daara has admonished the media to see themselves as "key drivers" of the brand, which used to be one of the best in the contingent.

"We can't build an adaptable Ghana football without an adaptable media because the media are the key drivers of this versatile change," the former BBC journalist said.

"We have the big opportunity to change and grow until we hand over to the next generation."

The 2019/20 league season officially kicks off on Friday, with most of the matches slated to be played on Sunday accros 9 league centered.

Read the full statement below

Dear brothers and sisters,

I hope we all celebrated Christmas in great health and joy. Long may it continue to the New Year and beyond.

Ghana football begins this weekend - forget about the national teams for now. Let’s minimise the interest in the EPL, LaLiga, Bundesliga etc.

The domestic leagues make Ghana football.

Ghana football is a complete chain that directly affects us, entertains us and creates opportunity not only for the clubs, players and fans but also all of us working the media.

Knowing where we have come from, my humble appeal is for us to shift our focus from the foreign leagues to the local leagues because the price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change. For us in the media we will benefit more from local football than the foreign leagues.

Whether we supported Kurt or not, like they say 'after elections no campaign'. It is now our duty to come together to support the efforts of the new leadership to make our local football a success.

I am not saying if there is the need to criticise we should not criticise but we should be measured in ensuring we keep our watchdog role with constructive criticisms while projecting our positives more so the industry can become attractive to local fans, corporate bodies and subsequently strong foreign corporate interest.

This is something I have learnt from the EPL or European football just this year.

Racism scandalised their game this year with no less than 33 incidents yet their media reported on it, smothered it and continued to project their best parts that’s the game. This is why, they have weathered the ugly racism storm – at least for now.

By this it shows clearly that Ghana football, like every human institution, will have challenges but we must take the approach of helping the GFA to improve with positive criticism but not criticism to destroy.

We can't build an adaptable Ghana football without an adaptable media because the media are the key drivers of this versatile change. We have the big opportunity to change and grow until we hand over to the next generation.

If we are given the option to change or die, I'll choose life and I am sure we will all choose life. So please let’s choose life for Ghana football.