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GFA fulfils pledge to RFAs
All 10 Regional Football Associations (RFAs) have received a significant boost after the Ghana Football Association (GFA) released GHc300,000 to support the payment of officiating fees for the various league competitions organised by the RFAs.
The disbursement of these funds is in fulfilment of the pledge made by GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku at the 29th Ordinary Session of the GFA Congress in Kumasi on Monday, July 10, 2023.
The funds disbursed to all RFAs is to support the cost of officiating in the competitions organised by the RFAs.
The disbursement was done taking into consideration the number of clubs in each region, the number of matches to be played, and the cost of refereeing in each region. This was done to ensure some form of equity in the application of the funds.
The Greater Accra RFA received an amount of GHc50,000.00 while the other football regions, with the exception of the Upper East and Upper West regions, each received GHc30,000.00. The Upper West and Upper East football regions received GHc20,000.00 each.
The RFAs and the District Football Associations (DFAs) under their jurisdictions, are in charge of clubs in Division Two, Division Three, Regional Women’s Division One, and Colts U13, 15, and U17 leagues.
Payment of officiating fees has historically been a great challenge for clubs that compete in the Regional Leagues.
The GFA is also investing an amount of GHc200,000.00 into the training of “Catch Them Young” Referees to bring them to an optimum level and prepare them for the Regional League competitions.
It would be recalled that the GFA has already provided whistles, Assistant Referees flags, and red and yellow cards to the RFAs to further resource the “Catch Them Young” Refereeing Policy.
The Association will also be distributing referee uniforms to the RFAs in the coming weeks for “Catch Them Young” Referees.
The Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for stronger action to promote gender equity and create more opportunities for women in the workplace.
She made the call in a Facebook post after joining staff at the Presidency of Ghana to mark International Women’s Day.
The celebration was held under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Promoting Equity for Every Woman in the Workplace” and focused on recognising the achievements of women while reflecting on the work needed to ensure equal opportunities.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang extended warm wishes to women across Ghana and noted that women have always played key roles in the country’s communities and economic activities.
According to her, women in the past served as healers, traders and queen mothers who contributed to leadership and governance in traditional societies.
She explained that Ghana’s cultural history shows that women have long provided knowledge, leadership and innovation to help develop communities.
The Vice President however noted that current disparities require society to examine systems and structures that may have limited opportunities for women.
She stressed that advancing gender equity will require deliberate actions and the mentoring of young women to prepare them for leadership roles.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang recognised women whose work takes place in markets, streets and small trading spaces across the country.
According to her, these women form the backbone of local economies and continue to demonstrate resilience despite the difficult conditions they face.
She commended women working at the Presidency for their dedication and leadership and reaffirmed the need to promote respect, fairness and opportunity for every woman.
The Vice President further called on both men and women to work together to break barriers and ensure that women can fully contribute to Ghana’s development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
