The President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has told football clubs in the country that he is working to ensure that the football fraternity is also considered in government’s stimulus package to help business and industries in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
He captured this in a statement issued on Wednesday to all members of the Ghana FA.
The GHS 1 billion package has been presented to Parliament and there will be further discussions on how it will be rolled out to help affected business in the current climate and for the GFA President, the football industry also needs to be supported due to losses club owners and administration are making at the moment.
Football in Ghana has been suspended since March 15 following a ban on all public gatherings by the President.
Okraku shared the sentiments of the club owners and stated that he was collaborating with the necessary bodies to ensure that all directives in relation to the Coronavirus were respected in order to win the fight against the disease and return to a normal life and by extension, a return to all footballing activities in the country.
He also urged the clubs to keep respecting the COVID-19 protocols outlined by health professionals.
Below is the full statement:
Dear Club Owners & CEOs,
MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY IN THE WAKE OF CORONA VIRUS
One can not overstate the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has brought an unprecedented challenge for members of the football industry.
As President of the Association and a club man, I know the extend of the challenges that clubs have gone through due to the current situation and the financial burden we continue to face as club owners, officials, players and as participants in the game.
I share in this pain. However, we must also be concerned about our health and the need to take precaution at this extremely difficult time. There is the need to remind ourselves that, it is just a phase which will soon change when we all abide by the protocols given to us by state. I urge everyone to continue to fully abide by all the protocols and the directives.
During this period, I am engaging with all the major stakeholders to ensure that the football family is included in the government’s stimulus package to alleviate some of the hardship on our industry.
I will continue to positively engage the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and Government for the advancement for our beloved sport.
It is unfortunate that we have to wait a little longer for our Extraordinary Congress, where some key decisions would taken to impact positively on the game.
I would therefore call on all of us to rally around and fight this deadly pandemic for the good of the industry.
Finally, I want to thank all Club owners, Administrators, Footballers, Coaches Referees, the media and everyone involved in our sport for your professionalism and dedication to service. You showed class and selflessness until the season was suspended because of COVID-19.
Together we will win this battle. Long live Ghana Football.