Kwesi Nyantakyi has called on government to extend financial support to Ghanaian clubs who participate in Caf inter-club competitions.
The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) made this appeal at an end-of-year press soiree held at the GFA headquarters saying government must complement the FA’s efforts as it cannot bear the burden alone.
“We have been assisting our clubs in our own small way. It has always been a small financial support that has been our widow’s mite but we are not going to relent on that.
“We will continue to support our clubs,” Nyantakyi told journalists at the forecourt of the GFA headquarters in Accra last Thursday.
He added: “apart from all the things that we do for them we think that participating in Africa is a very expensive venture.
“In most countries, especially in Francophone Africa, the costs are borne by the governments and when they participate they are doing it on behalf of Ghana.
Clubs in Ghana have been facing suspensions for withdrawing from continental club competitions due to financial constraints with Nania FC being the recent sufferers of a three-year ban and $1500 in 2012 for effusing to play in the CAF Confederations Cup Competition.
“When AshantiGold appear in Morocco or Medeama appear in Liberia it is Ghana, they will say the Ghana team. Many people will not even remember the name of the club. So, when they are representing in Africa it is a cause that we must all support as a national cause and not a club cause or a GFA cause,” the Ghana FA boss ended.
AshGold host MO Bejaia at the Len Clay Stadium on February 14 for the first leg of the preliminary round for the Caf Champions League with Medeama awaiting the winner of the first round game between Al-Ittihad and AS Sonidep.
By Kelvin Owusu Ansah
