You are here: HomeNews2020 07 26Article 1016869

Sports News of Sunday, 26 July 2020

Source: goal.com

Relief fund: Osei Palmer called out over 'lies' on Ghana's national team

Owner of Tema Youth, Wilfred Osei Kwaku Palmer Owner of Tema Youth, Wilfred Osei Kwaku Palmer

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Committee member Albert Commey has expressed disgust by 'false' remarks concerning the sport governing body's disbursement plan for a Covid-19 relief fund.

Upon publication of the intended allocations last week, there have been questions over some beneficiaries, especially the national teams who are believed to be funded by the Government of Ghana and, thus, needed no such support.

Tema Youth president and former Black Stars management committee chairman Wilfred Kwaku Osei 'Palmer', who is currently battling the GFA at the Court for Arbitration of Sports (CAS) over his disqualification from the FA's presidential election last year, is reportedly among the critics of the disbursement plan.

“I heard someone granted an interview saying the Government [of Ghana] bears all national team costs. Don’t hide the truth because of football politics,” Commey told Atinka FM.

“He [Osei] was chairman…. ask him if it was only the government that took care of the national team. The truth is only one, so if you’re a leader, let the truth lead you, not lies.

“And does this mean they don’t read the audit report or they know the truth and have decided to paint someone black?

“People talk anyhow just because they have clubs. If you see the way some of them talk, is it right?

“Who was in the helm of affairs and in-charge of finance when all these things happened? And for such a person to grant such an interview is an apology of itself. He’s my friend but we must say the truth."

The GFA said it was expecting a combined amount of $1.8 million [€1.6m] from Fifa and Caf in support of some domestic football stakeholders in the wake of the coronavirus disruptions.

Both men and women's Premier League clubs, Division One League clubs, Regional Football Associations (RFAs), the Ghana League Clubs Association (Ghalca) and the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) are some other expected beneficiaries.

The 2019-20 domestic football season was initially temporarily suspended in March following the outbreak of the coronavirus.

After three months of waiting, the GFA Executive Council decided to permanently cancel the season.