A former Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Ibrahim Sannie Daara, has issued a warning to the government, urging immediate support for Ghanaian football clubs to prevent the collapse of the domestic leagues in the country.
Speaking on Prime Take with Muftawu Nabila Abdulai, Sannie emphasised the critical role of government intervention in sustaining the sport at the national level.
“When a footballer sees that there’s no life beyond the football he’s playing after 35 years, they don’t earn so much. Most of the teams, all the teams in Ghana today, are owned by individuals,” he noted.
“It is individuals who are funding and paying for the kids of people, or Ghanaian youth, to become who they are.
“The state must support them. It must not be a one-man effort,” he admonished.
Hitherto, Ghanaian footballers and other athletes were employed by state companies.
The former BBC broadcaster reminisced about a time when the state played a pivotal role in supporting athletes.
“In the past, when someone was playing in the domestic league, he was employed by the police or the army,” he recalled.
“Ali Jarrah, for instance, was employed by the Fire Service. So was Sam Johnson. And a lot of them were employed by the Bank of Ghana.
“All of these state agencies had some way, somehow, something to do with sports recruitment when they recruited every year.”
He argued that the return of such initiatives would provide players with financial security and career longevity.
Credit: myjoyonline.com
