GFA Elections: Osei Palmer targets ambitious $90m revenue to run Ghana Football

Wilfred Kwaku Osei (Palmer), a leading aspirant in the upcoming Ghana Football Association presidential race has revealed that he has an achievable, bankable and realistic strategy which will see the Association raise in excess of ninety million US dollars when elected into office.

Speaking at what he describes as the launch of his Policy Document at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Palmer said the sources of this ambition revenue target are already known and identifiable.

“Most of these are identifiable sources of funds to the GFA. The planning horizon of the generation of these funds would span through a period of four years. These prudential estimates are very conservative in nature as per the principle of budgetary estimates with the finance committee to be tasked to execute and target,” his policy document stated in part.

Palmer, an astute football administrator with many years of experience under his belt says the US90 million he intends to raise for the FA will come from the following areas.

- US $4m revenue from television broadcasting rights

- US$9m revenue from marketing rights

- US$3m revenue from licensing rights

- US$2m from merchandizing

- US$4m from digital transformation hub

- US$6m from FIFA grants

- US$8m from Futsal grants

- Other sources of revenue generation will be Caf funding programme, tax credit, solidarity, training, and compensation clearing house as well as prize money from international competitions, proceeds from friendly games among others.

While the staggering $90m revenue projection for the FA was the highlight of the event, it must be noted that the document, titled “Reforming Ghana Football”, also covers eight areas that Palmer says he will work on should he get the nod to become next GFA president.

The areas are: football development, governance and administration, finance, infrastructure development, safety and security, competitions, commercialisation, re-regulation, and reforms implementation process.

On why he thinks he is the best man to lead Ghana football, Palmer said that he had built himself well and had done enough in terms of local football to be voted for as the new GFA President.

“I have pursued football from 2005 until now. At a point, I started with three people but they all left. I founded Tema Youth Football Club up to this level and if you look at the players that I have been able to develop at Tema Youth, I had five players in the U-20 teams and four of them went to the World Cup.

So in terms of the education and academics, I have shown that I have what it takes (he went to the University of Cape Coast for his undergraduate education and the University of Ghana Business School for his MBA).

In terms of working experience, I have it and when it comes to a vision for Ghana football, I have clearly espoused that too and so, I have no doubts that I am the right choice when it comes to the GFA Presidency.”

Osei is credited with the discovery of players like Joseph Paintsil, Thomas Partey, Moses Odjer, Foli Adade and many others.