Clubs chase league’s sponsor for $67,000 each

The delay in the disbursement of the second tranche of the First Capital Plus Bank sponsorship appears to be worsening the financial problems of the 16 clubs participating in the Premier League.

The first tranche, a 30 per cent of the total amount, about GH¢33,000, has proved inadequate  and some clubs are grumbling over the delay in the disbursement of the amount after struggling to finance their participation in the first round.

Indeed, Graphic Sports has learnt that some clubs, including Ashgold, arguably one of the resourceful football entities in the country, are owing their players in bonuses and salaries.

The Miners, though do not owe their players’ salaries, they are in arrears of two winning bonuses. Besides, clubs like Sekondi Hasaacas, Medeama, New Edubiase, and others, according sources, are owing their players in salaries from five months and above.

A grumbling board member of one of the clubs told the Graphic Sports that even though the $2 million package for the entire season was inadequate, the decision to hedge the  dollar at GH¢2.50 instead of the prevailing GH¢3.80 had worsen matters.

He disclosed that the decision by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to make itself the 17th beneficiary of the sponsorship deal, aside the 16 clubs and the 25 per cent agency fee, had terribly ripped the clubs off substantial amount.

But Sannie Diarra, GFA spokesman, maintained in an interview with the Graphic Sports last Wednesday that all the issues being raised were agreed upon by the clubs.

‘The issue about the dollar equivalence is something that has come up and we are trying to renegotiate with the sponsors,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the bank remained evasive about the second disbursement. 

The head of marketing and corporate affairs of First Capital Plus Bank, Nana Yaw Kesse, told Graphic Sports yesterday he was unable to confirm whether the money had been paid to the clubs.

"I can't confirm whether the second tranche has been paid. At the beginning of the year we released the money to the clubs without much fanfare.

"Payment of the money is a financial transaction between the GFA and the finance department of the bank. The GFA has an account with us, so they give us a demand notice and we pay."