GHALCA boss, Amoako hot over $9,000 loan

Members of the Executive Council of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) have asked their chairman and treasurer to resign or face impeachment for breaching an important administrative procedure which is tantamount to financial impropriety.

In addition, they are demanding that an amount of $9,000 contracted as loan from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) be returned to the GHALCA chest, or the two men be prepared to face the law.

GHALCA chairman Alhaji Ali Raji and the treasurer, George Amoako, reportedly used the association’s name to contract a loan of $9,000 from the FA without the knowledge of the other members, and the two officials have also been unable to produce receipts to indicate what the said money was used for, the Graphic Sports has learned.

Yesterday, the executive council held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue and make its decision known to the chairman and treasurer, following which a move will be initiated for the General Assembly to vote for the final decision.

Albert Commey, a member of the Executive Council, told the Graphic Sports that he was leading the call for the resignation of the two men because he did not want the image of the association, built by the hard work of others in the past as well as the reputation of the entire membership of the council, to be tarnished.

“The GHALCA is run by an executive council and not by an executive president or chairman, so whatever decision is taken must be one agreed on by members. Members did not know about the loan contracted by the chairman and the treasurer, two key signatories to our accounts, and even after the money had been secured, they did not find it necessary to inform the other members.” 

“More seriously, they have not been able to say exactly what the money has been used for neither have they been able to produce any receipt.  and this is quite a serious issue that could bring the integrity of the entire council into disrepute,” Mr Commey told the Graphic Sports.

“As we speak, without our knowledge,  they have again put in another loan request  at the GFA to help pay salaries of staff and allowances  of council members, tell me where is this breach of procedure done? 

“We are all aware of the financial controversies that have surrounded GHALCA in the past. We don’t want to be embroiled in a similar situation. The other members have asked them to resign honourably or face impeachment. We were all voted into office and entrusted with a responsibility, we cannot let the association down,” he added.

Kofi Poku, also a member of the council, said he was disappointed by what had happened and supported the call for the two men to resign.

“It is very disappointing to say the least. I think the honourable thing to be done at this time is for them to resign. At yesterday’s meeting, they could not give us any explanations. Apart from resigning, they should also refund the money since we have no idea what it was used for.”

The Graphic Sports has learnt that the GHALCA chairman pleaded with members for a one month grace period to enable them to refund the money but the request was flatly turned down by the council which demaded the money should be refunded immediately.