The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) has proposed a stop-gap tournament to engage clubs in the Premier League and Division One League as a measure to keep them in shape for the resumption of football activities in the country.
In a two page letter to the clubs dated 22nd August, 2018 and signed by Chairman Kudjoe Fianoo, the association noted that such a measure was necessary to among other objectives “fill the void created by the truncation of the Premier League to keep the clubs active”.
There has been no football activity in Ghana since investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas premiered his investigative piece entitled #Number 12 which centered on corruption in Ghana Football.
However, in the letter titled “PROPOSAL FOR A STOP-GAP TOURNAMENT”, GHALCA aims at bringing fans and media interest back into the game to ensure that when the Ghana Premier League and Division One returns, there will do so with a bang.
The proposal with these three key objectives gives a tentative date of Sunday, 16th September, 2018 as the start date. GHALCA maintains the proposal is in line with a request by broadcast right holders Startimes to support the clubs who will agree to participate.
GHALCA needs clubs to respond by Tuesday, 28th August, 2018 whether they will participate or otherwise which according to them will help them in planning.
The release gives Vice-Chairman, Mr. Alex Ackumey and Mr. John Ansah as the contact persons for further information regarding this proposal.
It remains to be seen what the format of this proposed tournament will be, how many teams will be ready to participate and what will happen when football resumes in Ghana with the normalization committee among other nagging questions.
It would be recalled that a similar tournament entitled, the ‘Elite Clubs Competition’ was introduced in late 2014 when Alhaji Karim Grusah took the Ghana Football Association to court for a case he brought before it concerning the relegation of his King Faisal Babies Football Club. The proper standing of the competition was ill-defined and later led to further litigation due to suspensions players received in it. There was a question of whether it was a sanctioned cum official competition or not.
