“Referees borrow money and sleep at bus stations before games”-Referees Chairman George Kojo Saijah

National Chairman of the Referees Association of Ghana, George Kojo Saijah has painted a grim picture of the plight of referees, highlighting poor wages, unpaid allowances, and inadequate support from the relevant authorities.

The significant financial and logistical challenges faced by the referees threatens the quality of officiating in the various Ghanaian football leagues.

The poor remuneration and working conditions have raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of refereeing in Ghana. Speaking to Asempa FM, George Saijah revealed the challenges the referees in Ghana are going through.

“Ghanaian referees are the least paid; they sometimes have to borrow money, which makes doing their job extremely challenging,” Saijah stated. “Our money is not even up to $70, and we are the least paid in Africa.”

The financial strain has had a profound impact on referees’ ability to perform their duties effectively. According to him, many referees struggle to cover basic expenses such as transport and accommodation.

“My personal money has gone into these particular referee expenses. It is not only about transport but accommodation. They don’t have money to sleep at hotels. As a referee, you can never perform well if you don’t have a good sleep. Some sleep at the bus stations,” he revealed.

Adding to the burden, referees are owed allowances dating as far back as 2014. Despite repeated efforts to bring the issue to the attention of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Parliament, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, no tangible action has been taken.

“We were made to present a paper, but as we speak, there has been no change or update from the GFA, Parliament, or the Sports Ministry. We are being owed money from 2014 till date,” he lamented.