Ghana Premier League clubs were allowed to compete two years ago even though they had not completed the mandatory Club Licensing process, according to Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, chairman of the Ghana Football Association’s Club Licensing Committee.
Baah-Nuakoh said no club had been approved under the licensing regulations at the time because the process had not been completed. Despite that, the teams were permitted to take part in the league.
“Two years ago, none of the GPL clubs were approved under the club licensing regulations because we didn’t even complete the process, yet they were still allowed to play,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The comments raise questions about how licensing decisions are applied before clubs are allowed to compete in the Ghana Premier League.
Baah-Nuakoh said responsibility for deciding whether a club is eligible to play rests with the GFA’s Competition Department, rather than the Club Licensing Committee.
“It’s for the competition department to determine whether a club has the license to play in the league,” he said.
He explained that the licensing committee has no authority to stop a club from participating once it has been included in the league schedule, even if that club does not possess the required licence.
“If the competition department schedules fixtures and includes clubs without a license, there is nothing in the clause system that allows me to do something about it. It is beyond my jurisdiction,” he said.
According to Baah-Nuakoh, the committee’s role ends after it has reached a decision and submitted that decision to the appropriate authorities.
“When we make the decision, it is somebody’s job to monitor and implement. It’s the GFA’s duty to ensure that the clubs comply with judicial decisions. My job ends when I make the decision and submit it,” he added.
The issue comes as preparations continue for the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season, which is scheduled to begin on 5 September.
Fourteen of the 18 proposed match venues for the new campaign have been approved, meaning four venues are yet to receive approval ahead of the start of the season.
Baah-Nuakoh’s remarks indicate a separation between the body responsible for assessing club licensing requirements and the department that determines which teams are eligible to appear in league fixtures.
His committee, he said, can make and submit licensing decisions, but it cannot intervene if the Competition Department schedules matches involving clubs without a licence. The final responsibility for monitoring and implementing those decisions lies with the relevant GFA authorities.
The Ghana Premier League is therefore set to begin with the licensing process and the division of responsibilities between the GFA’s departments under renewed scrutiny.
