Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Kumasi King Faisal midfielder, Yusif Alhassan Chibsah has revealed his first Ghana Premier League salary to be GHC 5.00 which was in his first season at Kumasi based King Faisal in the early 2000’s.
The tall midfielder who is among the few to have earned promotion from colts football straight to the Ghana Premier League unreservedly claimed he received a pay of GHC 5.00 at Kumasi King Faisal, which was some 17 years ago.
The Head of Player Relations at the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana(PFAG) was speaking to Hans Mensah Andoh on the Friday Night Football show on Beach 105.5 FM regarding a campaign he’s championing to see a minimum wage of GHC 1,000.00 for Ghana Premier League players.
According to the Ghana Premier League winner, his first salary was GHC 5.00 and was tripled along the way to GHC 15.00. He earned a bumper pay increase when he was transferred from Kumasi King Faisal to Kumasi Asante Kotoko in the 2003-2004 season.
“My first Ghana Premier League salary was GHC 5,000.00(GHC 5.00 Now), that was some 17 years ago. I had a pay increase to GHC 15,000.00(GHC 15.00). I wasn’t then interested in the money, the fact that I was in the first team was enough for me, because I was fortunate to be part of those who were promoted to the Ghana Premier League from the colts’ level.
“When I was transferred to Kumasi Asante Kotoko the salary was increased to GHC 100,000.00 and in Kotoko you don’t even think about your salary, the fans will be showering gift on you and winning bonuses were also ripe.” Yusif Alhassan Chibsah said.
The 33-year-old former midfielder insisted that there should be an average wage of GHC 1,000.00 for players playing in the Ghana Premier League. Which he thinks will be enough to maintain the best players in our league rather than losing them to other African countries.
“I think if we set a minimum wage of GHC 1,000.00, this is reasonable, Premier League clubs should be able to afford GHC 1,000.00 as salaries for each player,” he noted.
Chibsah said clubs that are paying better in the Ghana Premier League are Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Ashantigold and Accra Hearts of Oak: “For Asante Kotoko, Ashantigold SC and Hearts of Oak, players are being paid averagely GHC 1,000.00 and GHC 1,500 which is good. It comes back to my question, how many clubs can afford that? Other players for the 3 clubs take GHC 2,000 and some even to the tune of GHC 3,000.00,” Yusif Chibsah added
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George Duah/beachfmonline.com/Ghana-Takoradi
