GHALCA to sue Sports Ministry over President's Cup expenditure

An unexpected legal battle looms between Ghana League Clubs and government as leadership of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) are set to drag the Ministry of Youth and Sports to court over an unpaid amount of GHC500,000 used for the organisation of the 2013 President's Cup competition.

The President Cup is an annual ceremonial competition played in July every year to commemorate the Republic Day celebrations of the country and also to honour the sitting president.

A source close to the leadership of the Ghana League Clubs Association has disclosed to Ghanasoccernet.com that the association is set to drag the Sports Ministry to court for failing to pay the expenditure incurred during the 2013 President Cup.

According to the source, the Presidency promised to refund the bills of the event through the Ministry of Youth and Sports but all attempts to get the refund of the expenditure have proved futile and they have no option than to take the matter to court.

The said competition played under the former leadership of GHALCA saw the former President Alhaji Raji angrily expressing his disappointment in the President Mahama government for ignoring numerous calls of GHALCA to refund the money.

Addressing his last General Assembly Meeting as GHALCA Chairman last year, Alhaji Raji expressed his disappointment in the government's refusal to refund the money.

“At this juncture, I cannot but state categorically that the President His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have not been fair to GHALCA and to the Chairman in particular due to the inability of the Presidency and the Ministry to redeem its commitment after all the several documents we have submitted on request in respect of the 2013 President Cup,” Alhaji Raji noted in his statement.

“The indebtedness of about GHC500,000.00 has survived three Ministers of Sports, three Chiefs of Staff including the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports.”

“It has been an embarrassing moment for me especially when it is my duty to protect the image of the association and the government of the day. As of this time, no cedi has been paid to GHALCA.

“I am reiterating that GHALCA is now going to take all legal steps to demand the payment of this money,” Alhaji Raji concluded.

These were the words of Alhaji Raji before the Kudjoe Fianoo administration took over but the President Mahama-led government is yet to respond to their calls.

The coming weeks will therefore witness GHALCA's legal action against the government for their refusal to refund the money.