Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak push for security and league reforms in GFA proposal

Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak have submitted a proposal to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), calling for key reforms to enhance the Ghana Premier League.The two big clubs highlighted concerns over the leagues state, emphasizing the need for urgent action, particularly in security and club licensing regulations.In their proposal, they urged the GFA to take full control of security arrangements at league venues to ensure the safety of fans, players, and officials.They called for the full implementation of the Gbadegbe Commission report and recommended deploying at least 100 police officers for Category A and B matches.Additionally, they suggested assigning at least 20 military personnel to high-risk fixtures and sourcing security personnel from different regions to prevent local influence. The clubs also proposed installing security cameras at all match venues and conducting new risk assessments to properly categorize fixtures.On club licensing, Kotoko and Hearts urged the GFAs Club Licensing Department to establish new minimum standards for Premier League match venues.They also advocated for the league to become autonomous and be managed independently to improve its governance and competitiveness.The clubs further demanded transparency in television rights deals, asking the GFA to disclose the number of their matches to be televised before the season starts.They argued that this would allow for a fair distribution of sponsorship and broadcasting revenue. Additionally, they called on the GFA to seek exemptions from Value Added Tax (VAT) and other deductions on match proceeds.In their final recommendation, Kotoko and Hearts insisted on automatic representation on the GFA Executive Committee, citing their status as major stakeholders in Ghanaian football.The proposal comes amid rising concerns over security at league venues, especially following the stabbing of a well-known Asante Kotoko fan, Nana Pooley, at Nsoatre. Read Full Story