The 2018 season kicked off over the weekend after some legal challenges and Kwesi Nyantakyi believes the league’s popularity was on display by virtue of the conversations on social media.

He also believes the influx of more private owners is ample proof of the league’s quality.

“The social media trends all had the Ghana Premier League in top place over the weekend and it demonstrated the level of interest among Ghanaians.”

“This is contrary to opinions that the league is dead, it is in coma and all kinds of negative comments,” he said in a media interaction at the GFA headquarters on Monday.

He went on: “If the league is dead, why Dr. Ndoum invest to upgrade in facilities in Elmina and why will Dr. Issahaku invest in a Division One team (Tamale City FC)?

The start of the league was good and the attendance in Tema (at the Inter Allies vs Bechem United match) was impressive. The fans were starved of the league by the court cases.”

Nyantakyi went on to explain that the late start of the league would push the FA to play matches during weekdays to make up for the time lost due to the court cases with Great Olympics.

He added that the FA may have to discuss the possibility of getting a special arrangement from FIFA that would allow the league to run during the World Cup.

FIFA has indicated that all leagues around the world would have to end by May to make way for preparations for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

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By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘Ghana Premier League not dead, social media proves it’ – Nyantakyi appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“Every year we hear of an injunction being placed on the league.

“I believe that the GFA should enforce regulations that will halt its members from bringing injunctions against the league.” he stated.

The FA is currently locked in a legal battle with Accra Great Olympics Limited following a court injunction secured by the latter preventing the start of the Ghana Premier League and the FA’s Congress.

According to Article 21 (1) (4) of the GFA Statutes, clubs that fail to exhaust all internal modes of conflict resolution and seek redress at the Court of Law shall be expelled.

According to the NSA board chairman, the FA must exercise better control over its members.

“It’s their own members that take them to court so if you cant contain your people to stabilize the league that we have, then why bring the family together.”

The case in question has been adjourned to Wednesday, February 21.

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By: Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NSA Board Chair unhappy with GFA’s lack of membership control appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Palmer made the startling comments when speaking on Sports Panorama in October, where he suggested that Ghana would have qualified for the Russia 2018 World Cup if money was made available to make unclassified and indemnity payments to referees.

[contextly_sidebar id=”IJRV3x9yyYe6wHHmef872DswD89bUvkr”]“I was quite surprised that Ghanaians and the media sided with former Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye [about not budgeting for indemnities] when the government white paper on the Dzamefe Commission report clearly indicated that unclassified payments were legal in the concept of our budget.”

“If we had spent around $300,000 dollars [on referees], and stood to benefit about $8 million [by appearing at the World Cup], I see nothing wrong with it,” he said.

In October, the Ghana Football Association announced that it would begin investigations into comments they deemed disparaging to the integrity of the FA and its competitions including allegations of match-fixing and bribery of referees.

Palmer faced the Ethics Committee of the FA yesterday [Tuesday] where he was questioned on the remarks the Committee said “dented the image of the FA”. In his defense, he claimed he was defending the FA in the face of stiff criticism of the outfit for their failure to qualify the Black Stars for the Russia 2018 World Cup.

But that excuse was shot down and he was told the comments were irresponsible and asked to await disciplinary action which Citi Sports sources disclose would be a suspension.

It is not the first time the Tema Youth Chairman has found himself in controversy. Prior to the appointment of Kwesi Appiah as Black Stars coach, Palmer went on radio to claim he didn’t believe a local coach was competent enough to handle the national team.

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By: Fentuo Tahiru/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Osei Palmer faces suspension over ‘bribery endorsement’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

It said it is asking FIFA for a replay “in order to serve the ends of justice without fear or favour.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”iTEsFQrbpqlUVZlkajKRlbLT7bU75A0E”]The linesman’s flag denied the Black Stars a late winner in the 93rd minute after Raphael Dwamena hit the back of the Ugandan net from a rebound off the goalkeeper.

The referee claimed the striker was in an offside position, although playbacks of the incident indicated otherwise.

Many Ghanaians have taken to social media to vent their anger over the decision, although the goal will not significantly affect the Black Stars’ chances of qualifying for the World Cup.

Black Stars skipper, Asamoah Gyan, said in a tweet that he was furious over the matter, and called on the GFA to protest the referee’s decision.

The GFA in its statement said, the action and several others “have left the GFA with no option than to ask FIFA to examine their performances.”

Read the GFA’s statement below:

Ghana FA lodges FIFA protests over referee in World Cup qualifier in Uganda

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has lodged a protest with FIFA over the performance of referee Daniel Bennett and his assistants Eldrick Adelaide and Steve Marie during the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Uganda on Saturday.

The GFA filed the protest to football’s world governing body, FIFA, immediately after the match at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala. Mr Bennett and assistants denied Ghana a perfect goal in the 93rd minute with television replays showing that it was a perfect goal.

The referee also denied Ghana a penalty earlier in the second-half when Ghana midfielder Frank Acheampong was brought down in the box.

These and several other decisions by the match officials have left the GFA with no option than to ask FIFA to examine their performances.

The GFA respectfully asked FIFA to consider the possibility of a replay in order to serve the ends of justice without fear or favour.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GFA petitions FIFA over Uganda W/C qualifier; requests replay appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“We want to challenge government with this particular Subah matter to tell us on what basis or what grounds that government arrived at the decision that Subah can’t be blamed or Subah did the rightful duty,” he insisted

A technical committee set up by government to investigate the agreement between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Subah Infosolutions Ghana Limited exonerated Subah, describing the contract as valid.

According to the committee, the decision to exonerate Subah was based among other things, “on the legitimacy and capacity of the board chairman to sign such agreements”.

The committee further explained that as part of the procurement process, the National Communication Authority (NCA) carried out a technical evaluation and “confirmed that Subah had the technical expertise and equipment for carrying out the task of conducting revenue assurance on payment of communication service tax by the telecommunication companies”.

But speaking to Citi News, Mr. Ramadan said the report leaves much to be desired.

“Money has gone down the drain, pesewas has gone down the drain as we have all seen in these last years. For that matter, AFAG wont accept this,”he said

Subah was contracted by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in 2010 to provide monitor domestic call data records for the collection of appropriate taxes from telecommunication companies in the country.

The move was in accordance with the communication services tax (Amendment) Act, 2013 (Act 864), which requires telecommunication companies to grant the Minister of Finance physical access to their facilities to monitor their  call data records for tax purposes.

The GRA, acting on behalf of the Minister of Finance, had contracted Subah to undertake that task, with an agreement to pay Subah 13.5 per cent of incremental revenue collected thereof.

Government in October last year announced the commencement of an investigation into the payment which attracted huge public outcry.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t should come clean on Subah – AFAG appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.