Ghana Premier League to go autonomous in 2023- Ghana FA president
The Ghana Premier League is set to go autonomous next season, the Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku has announced.
Kurt Okraku speaking at the 27th Ordinary Congress on Thursday said the restructuring of the Ghana league system is to add value to football clubs and their products.
“The next two (2) years will be challenging because the competition will be much higher than we had last year. Next year especially will see us moving into a Premier League that will be autonomously managed, the two (2) years ahead of us will see an introduction of an eighteen (18) team National Division One League. The whole idea is to add value to our football clubs and make football more enjoyable to the millions who enjoy the sport”.
The Ghana Football Association, in June last year constituted an advisory committee for thorough discussions and consultations for the restructuring of the football system. This Autonomous Premier League Advisory Committee was chaired by Board Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak Togbui Afede XIV.
The other Members included GFA Executive Council member, Dr. Toni Aubynn, Dr. Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, Chairman of the Club Licensing Board and Delali Senaye, CEO of Inter Allies Football Club, John Ansah, Operations Manager of Cape Coast Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs Football Club.
Currently, the 18-club 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.
Thus, the 2021-22 Ghana Premier League will be the qualifying competition to the autonomous Ghana Premier League managed by a separate company outside the GFA, jointly owned by the clubs with the GFA owning a special share.
The GFA will handle Registration of players and officials and Disciplinary issues as required by FIFA.
However, participating clubs will be taken through a special process and education leading to the full implementation in the 2022/23 season.