President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has reaffirmed the association’s commitment to paying all outstanding allowances owed to referees, following mounting pressure from the Concerned Referees and Match Commissioners of Ghana (CRAMCOG).
Okraku’s assurance comes in the wake of a strongly worded statement from CRAMCOG, which revealed that some referees have not been paid for over 21 weeks. The group warned of a possible boycott of the remainder of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League season if the situation is not resolved promptly.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM, Okraku acknowledged the delay in payments but explained that the issue stems largely from financial constraints linked to unpaid funds from the GFA’s broadcast partner, StarTimes. Despite this setback, he emphasized that the GFA is actively working to rectify the situation and ensure all match officials receive their due allowances.
“We owe referees, and we’re not denying that. But we are making every effort to ensure they are paid. The delay is not intentional; it’s a result of cash flow challenges beyond our control,” Okraku stated.
He also dismissed media reports suggesting an imminent referees’ strike, insisting that the relationship between the FA and referees remains intact.
“Reject the report of a pullout. The FA has not acted in bad faith. If there are challenges, we resolve them together,” he added.
As the Ghana Premier League gears up for the weekend’s headline fixture between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko in Accra, the spotlight remains on how swiftly the GFA can resolve the referee pay dispute to maintain the integrity and smooth running of the competition.
