Former Ghana FA Vice President George Afriyie believes the plan to roll out the proposed autonomous Ghana Premier League should be implemented gradually.
The knowledgeable administrator insists he is not against the idea of an autonomous league in principle however he is in favour of making the Ghana Premier League and the other leagues of the association semi-autonomous.
“I support the idea of the league going semi-autonomous. We have to conduct critical examinations and look at several parameters before we commit to the proposal and its implementation. And, this must be gradual, I believe. There is no need to rush the process,” he told Benedict Kwadwo Mensah on Accra-based Asempa FM.
GFA President Kurt Okraku pledged in his 2019 Ghana FA Presidential elections Manifesto to ensure that the top-flight league switches to an autonomous during his mandate period which ends on October 25, 2023. However, with barely eight months to the end of his tenure in office, he has failed to operationalise that manifesto pledge.
According to Ghana Sports Online’s further checks with the Ghana FA, the Statutes Review Committee has also tabled a proposal to consolidate the congressional powers of Ghana Premier League clubs should the proposal be passed into law at the congress of the FA.
This means clubs playing in the top tier of Ghana’s football league would lose their direct decision-making powers to the body that would take absolute control and management of the top-flight league.
In the English Premier League autonomous structure, each of the 20 clubs is a Shareholder in the Premier League. Consultation is at the heart of the Premier League and Shareholder meetings are the ultimate decision-making forum for Premier League policy and are held at regular intervals during the course of the season.
Meanwhile, Germany practices a similar system where is a wholly owned subsidiary of Die Liga – Fußballverband. The DFL is responsible for the entire operating business of the Ligaverband, including the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga leagues.
Afriyie, who is a former CAF AFCON Marketing Committee member, wants Premier League clubs to retain their congressional powers even when the league goes fully autonomous.
