Dr. Bawumia (R) in a hearty handshake with Professor Twumasi, NSA
boss, while Kurt looks on
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has called on clubs to embrace paperless system taking into account its huge benefits.
At the launch of the 2019/2020 Ghana Football season in Accra on Friday, Dr. Bawumia said, “One important thing both the GFA and the clubs should embrace in this era of digitisation is the paperless system this government is championing. The paperless system should not only be synonymous with business or banking transactions because its enormous benefits can extend to football clubs as well.”
“The paperless system should be the way for our clubs because to go paperless is to digitize, and to digitize is to monetize. The paperless system the government introduced at the harbour, the DVLA, the passport office and other places has made business transactions easier, cheaper, reduced wastages, cost, fraud and corruption, as well as maximized government revenue,” the Vice President added.
“In football, the problem of high cost of printing match tickets and corrupt practices such as under declaration of gate proceeds from sale of match tickets, which affect the clubs financially, will be a thing of the past if the football clubs adopt the paperless system,” Dr. Bawumia urged.
The Vice President also explained that adopting the paperless system will enhance the relationship between Ghanaian football clubs and their supporters because digitization will bring fans closer to their local clubs because of easy access to club information.
“As a Tottenham Hotspurs fan in Ghana, I don’t need to write to Tottenham Hotspurs to know how many matches and goals some of the club’s greatest players like Glenn Hoddle, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoign, Jurgen Klinsmann and Robbie Keane played and scored. Everything is paperless and everything is digitized. Just by the click of a button, you get every information and you can buy everything from the club with ease.
“This is very possible, my brothers and sisters. Especially with the availability of mobile money, clubs can easily and directly control the sale of tickets and club paraphernalia. I encourage all football clubs to go for it and maximise revenue,” he stated.
GFA President Kurt Okraku told the Vice President to consider giving the clubs a tax waiver on their gate proceeds.
In response, Dr. Bawumia promised to communicate the request to the Minister of Finance to factor it in the next budget.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum