George Saijah, Chairman of the Referees Association, has revealed that referees officiating in the Ghana Premier League receive GHS 1,000 per game.
This revelation comes on the back of the increasing concerns about the performance of referees in Ghana’s domestic leagues, including the Premier League.
There has been growing suspicion within the football community that some referees may be pressured into unethical behaviour due to their low pay.
Addressing the issue, Saijah explained that Premier League referees are compensated GHS 1,000 for each match, while Division One League and Women’s League referees earn GHS 750 per game.
“The salary is a take-home of 1,000 cedis for Premier League referees. The Division One League and Women’s League referees receive 750 cedis,” he said during a probe into a petition submitted by the Save Ghana Football Forum in February.
The GHS 1,000 payment, he clarified, covers transportation, officiating, food, and accommodation, meaning referees must manage these expenses within that sum.
Concerns about officiating have plagued Ghanaian football for years, with the 2018 Anas “Number 12” exposé revealing corruption within refereeing as a major issue affecting the game.