Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak propose reforms to Ghana Football Association

Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak, two of Ghana’s biggest football clubs, have submitted a proposal to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) outlining key reforms to improve the Ghana Premier League.

In their proposal, the clubs expressed deep concerns about the current state of the league and emphasized the need for immediate interventions, particularly in the areas of security and club licensing regulations.

They urged the GFA to take full control of security arrangements at league centers to ensure the safety of individuals and property.

As part of their recommendations, they called for the full implementation of the Gbadegbe Commission report and the deployment of at least 100 police personnel for Category A and B matches.

Additionally, they suggested that at least 20 military officers be assigned to Category A matches and some high-risk Category B matches.

The clubs also recommended that security personnel should be sourced from different regions rather than the locality of the match venue and that security cameras be installed at all league centers.

Other security-related proposals included conducting a new risk assessment to properly categorize matches and relocating games from venues that do not meet the necessary safety standards.

The Club Licensing Department was urged to establish new minimum standards for Premier League match venues.

Beyond security measures, Kotoko and Hearts of Oak proposed that the league should become autonomous and be managed independently. They also urged the GFA to seek exemptions from Value Added Tax (VAT) and other deductions on match proceeds.