Delay in making GPL autonomous due to fears of GFA - GHALCA Boss

The Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Kojo Fianoo, says that the delay in the league going autonomous is because previous administrations feared the body to manage it will be more powerful than the FA.

The idea of the Ghana Premier League being an autonomous body was started in 2005 but has not seen the light of day.

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Wednesday 6 May, 2020 announced that the Ghana Premier League will go autonomous with a five-member committee to be set up check out modalities and adivse the GFA to proceed with it.

“The Executive Council of the GFA has taken a decision to make the Ghana Premier League autonomous.

“In light of this decision, the Executive Council, at its meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, has decided to form a 5-member Committee to advise the GFA on how to proceed with the implementation of the policy.

“The Premier League Autonomy Committee will be made up of 3 persons nominated by the 18-Premier League Clubs with the other two to be added by GFA. This special task committee will advise the GFA on the autonomy of the league, the format, the modalities, start date and rulebook, among other parameters.

“The Ghana Premier League is currently organized and managed by the GFA. The 18-club league competition is managed by the Premier League Committee chaired by Lepowura Alhaji M.N.D Jawula, with day-to-day administrative support from the Competitions Department of the GFA” the statement from the GFA read.

According to the former AshGold boss, the move to ensure the Ghana Premier League goes autonomous is laudable but the fear that the body to implement it will be more powerful should be scrapped.

“There was a strong opposition from the FA when we proposed the idea of the league being autonomous when we wanted to start it. There was an idea that if the league became autonomous it would be stronger than the FA so some people kicked against it.

The fear that it should be powerful than the FA should be scrapped”, he told Ohene-Bampoe Brenya on Happy Sports on Happy 98.9 FM.

“The autonomous issue has been there for a while now. It is one of the reasons why we haven’t been able to implement it till now.

“If the (GFA) has realized that it is the way to go then they have to know the pros and cons. We must also learn from countries that have been successful in this area. We must execute this well and ensure we don’t turn back after two or three years”, he added.