GFA defends anti-match-fixing efforts after Mahama raises refereeing concerns

The Ghana Football Association says it has stepped up efforts to combat match-fixing and improve refereeing standards following concerns raised by President John Dramani Mahama about the state of the domestic game.

GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum said the association had spent the past five to six years investing in referee welfare, training and monitoring, while taking disciplinary action against clubs found guilty of integrity-related offences.

Speaking to Luv FM in Kumasi, Asante Twum welcomed the President's interest in football but insisted the governing body had not overlooked the challenges facing the sport.

"It's good to have a President who is following the game. It's good to have a President who has a keen interest in the development of football," he said.

"Some of the issues he raised, for instance, we have worked a lot. We have done a lot in the last five or six years to find solutions to these problems."

Asante Twum acknowledged that match-fixing remained a global challenge that no football association could eliminate entirely on its own.

He said the GFA had introduced several initiatives to improve referees' working conditions, including transport arrangements with STC, higher allowances, insurance packages, free uniforms and boots, and opportunities for referees to take examinations before their KUPA assessments.

The association has also adopted FIFA's referee assessment criteria to strengthen monitoring and performance evaluation.

"We have tried different means, which is why some clubs were even banned some time ago," he said. "We have worked on improving conditions of service for referees."

He added that referee education continued throughout the season, revealing that Premier League officials had recently completed a three-day training programme at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram immediately after last weekend's matches.

Asante Twum also reiterated that referees in Ghana are part-time service providers rather than full-time GFA employees.

He questioned whether the association currently had the financial resources to employ referees on a full-time basis, saying the costs and employment conditions would need careful consideration.

The GFA spokesperson rejected suggestions that President Mahama's comments represented an attack on the association, describing them instead as a reminder to keep improving Ghanaian football.

"It does not mean that we will be at warpath with His Excellency," he said. "It is good that he has spotted certain anomalies that he feels must be checked."

He said the association had a responsibility to take the President's concerns seriously and ensure its interventions delivered better results.

Asante Twum also pointed to progress in grassroots football, highlighting the KGL U-17 Inter-District Colts Championship as evidence of the GFA's broader development efforts.

He said KGL's support over the past five years had enabled the competition to be organised at district, regional and national levels, with the Ashanti Region winning the national tournament held in Kumasi three years ago.

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