The founder and owner of King Faisal Football Club, Alhaji Karim Gruzah, has rubbished a directive that Division One League (DOL) clubs should pay GHC8,400 each as officiating fee before the second round of the 2015/16 league commences . Rubbishing the directive by the GFA for the clubs to pay up by the end of this month, the respected football administrator told Asempa Sports that he can’t afford to pay his players so the FA should pay the officials who officiate the Division One League matches because it is not in the rule and regulations of the FA for the president to pay officiating fees.

Speaking furiously, he said, “I am struggling to generate money to pay my players and buy fuel to travel to participate in our matches, so executives of the GFA should use part of their ex-gratia to pay for the officiating fees they are demanding.”

A GFA letter dated June 3, 2016 and signed by its acting General Secretary, Isaac Addo, gave June 30, 2016, as the deadline for clubs to settle the payments to commence the 2015/16 season.

Clubs are hereby reminded to honour their commitment or risk severe sanctions after the stipulated deadline warned the letter, which was copied to the media. According to Alhaji Gruzah, Faisal, who play in Zone 2 of the league, was yet to receive a copy of the letter.

After the letter was released to the media, Alhaji quickly noted that, “Even if I get a copy, I will not pay because I have no money to pay such a fee and besides I still owe some of my players.” He added.