Ghanaian League champs to get $400,000

The winner of the 2016/2017 Ghana Premier League will pocket a whopping US$400,000 from a sports management firm, Sports Cul Ghana Limited (SCGH), in addition to the prize money that will be offered by the organisers of the competition.

This was announced yesterday by Dr Kweku Ofosu Asare, a lecturer at the GIMPA Business School and Communications Director of Sports Cul Ghana Limited, at a press conference held to unveil the company on its premises at Adjiriganor in Accra.

The package, which is intended to promote Ghana Sports, will also see the first runner-up of the league receiving US$300,000, while second and third runners-up will each receive US$250,000.

According to Dr Asare, the project is being funded by some foreign investors based in the United Arab Emirates, and will also include funding, construction of sports facilities and talent hunting not only for football but other disciplines such as boxing and athletics.

As part of football development, the company will support all participating clubs in the domestic league by paying 30 registered players GH¢2,000 each per month, while players of the Division One League, Beach Soccer and women’s football will each receive GH¢1,000.

An annual budget for sports amounting to US$44 million will also cater for coaches, referees, match commissioners, security and media men at all levels during the next football season.

On boxing, he said, “In order to promote boxing, Sports Cul will replicate what it intends doing in football by injecting massive funding to turn the dying fortunes of boxing around. We believe it will help our boxers who are eager to win world titles and prepare them to become world champions.”

Dr Asare noted that a nation that did not honour its heroes was not worth dying for, adding that Sports Cul will duly reward past sports heroes, especially Black Stars players, who won laurels for Ghana years ago.