World football governing body FIFA has urged the Ghana Football Association to discontinue calls for amendments to some of the articles of its statutes adopted in 2019 during the period of the Normalization Committee.
To FIFA, the period for such amendments is too short considering the gravity of the amendments and also the fact that the new statutes of the FA were adopted not too long ago.
Some members of the Ghana FA, led by Chairman of the Brong Ahafo Regional FA – Ralph Gyambrah, had proposed at least 51 changes to the statutes of the Ghana FA at its 26th Ordinary Congress set for September 1, 2020.
43 other members had written and signed a resolution to support the changes to the statutes proposed by the BA RFA Chairman.
Among the top clubs to have supported the changes are Premier League sides WAFA, Karela, Bechem, Ashanti Gold, Liberty Professionals, Elmina Sharks, Aduana and Medeama SC, Dwarfs and King Faisal.
Several Division One sides have also lent their support to the changes seeking to bring sanity to football administration in Ghana and they are Techiman City FC, New Edubiase, BA United, Okyeman planners, Hasaacas, Berekum Arsenals, Swedru All Blacks and several other clubs. Women’s clubs have also supported the move.
Among the key changes being demanded are the increase of the number of members of Congress where the number of the RFA representatives, Women’s Premier League from 8 to 16 while the RFA are increased from 2 to three to cover the broader interest of football in the country.
The members are also demanding the increase of the number of the members of the Executive Council by seven to ensure broader views in the Council.
Six will present the Premier League clubs instead of the current 5, 5 instead of three for DOL while RFAs will increase from the current 2 to 5 with two slots for Women’s Elite clubs.
The Ghana FA upon receipt of the proposed amendments by the members wrote to FIFA to seek for advice in to handle the proposed amendments considering the fact that the new statutes adopted are less than a year after its enforcement.
“We would be grateful for your perusal and guidance on the subject matter, as usual, to enable us proceed to Congress upon receipt of FIFA’s direction,” a letter signed by the Ghana FA General Secretary addressed to FIFA noted.
FIFA in a letter dated August 26, 2020 and signed by Chief Member Associations Officer Jerome Mosengo-Omba has directed that the Ghana FA goes ahead with the 26th Ordinary Congress without effecting any amendments to the status.
FIFA explained that proposed amendments by the 44 members seeks to revert the GFA statutes to the status quo which necessitated changes during the normalization period.
The football governing body, therefore, do not subscribe to the proposed amendments calling on the Ghana FA to discontinue it.
FIFA also adds that the proposed amendments are of huge gravity and that demands proper consultation and consistent correspondence with the Ghana FA before such amendments could be adopted.
“We take this opportunity to raise our concern pertaining to the general direction proposed by the relevant members through these statutory amendments, a direction that seems to revert back to the status quo prior to the statutory revamp of last year,” the FIFA letter noted.
“In particular, we consider that amending the composition of both the GFA Congress and the GFA Executive Council without a prior consultation with FIFA and the local stakeholders in such a short timeframe, and without having had the chance to discuss in more details the relevant proposals, is certainly not good practice,” it added.
Following the above observations and concerns by FIFA, the Ghana Football Association has been directed to put aside the proposed amendments and continue to the 26th Ordinary Congress and discuss the amendments with FIFA later.
FIFA has also urged members of the Ghana FA to comply with the statutes of the Ghana FA as adopted in 2019.
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