‘PGA Members Not Rich’
The Director of Operations for the Professional Golfers Association of Ghana (PGA), Ahmed Padori, has called on the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to consider professional golfers in its stimulus package for athletes.
In an interview with Power FM Sports, Padori stated that “PGA members are not rich” and stressed that they have to play or train golfers to earn a living.
The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Sports Authority (NSA) to provide monthly stimulus packages for athletes for the next six months following the outbreak of Covid-19 which has led to the halt of all sporting activities in the country.
Per the agreement, GH¢500 monthly allowance will be offered by YEA to support 1,000 able and disabled athletes in the country.
Five hundred slots out of the module will go to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), with 400 and 100 going to the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) respectively, according to the CEO of YEA, Justin Kodua.
PGA has tabled its proposal to the YEA through National Sports Authority (NSA) to extend the package to cover about 75 of its members who are mostly youth and unemployed and have also been hit by the impact of Covid-19, but they are yet to hear from the YEA.
“People are of the view that golfers are rich but that isn’t the case of professional golfers. The amateur golfers may be well to do but PGA members have to play tournaments, not just playing but have to win, or sometimes train amateur golfers to earn income,” Padori added.
Padori believes any help from the YEA will be judiciously utilised to support the professional golfers.
The PGA leadership is expected to meet the NSA chief to explain why the PGA should be supported.