Joseph Tetteh Zutah, the Vice President of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has made a significant call to encourage Ghanaian players to engage deeper with the association.
The current Medeama SC CEO’s call to action came during his guest speaker appearance at the second edition of The BAC Group’s Sports Business Series X Space Conference.
Zutah’s discussion focused on the pivotal topic of improving player welfare and creating conditions conducive for more competitive performance.
With his unique position both as a club administrator and association leader, Zutah provides a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities within Ghana’s football sphere. Expressing the importance of PFAG in the lives of players, Zutah emphasized the need for unionization.
He insisted players should join the association and engage its support in representing them in both contractual and welfare matters.
This proactive approach, according to Zutah, will ensure athletes can concentrate solely on upping their game, without unnecessary distractions.
“At the PFAG, our core mandate is to represent and defend the collective and individual interests of professional players. We have a couple of things in place for the players, talk of Insurance for the players when they’re injured. We’ve realized most of the Ghanaian clubs can’t afford for players surgeries and rehabilitation. We also look into life after football, and with this policy, we have a partnership with Johan Cruyff Institute with Models and Courses for players to access. It ranges from talent identification, scouting, coaching, player management, player agent and many more,” he said.
The heart of Zutah’s argument rests on the premise that a holistic approach to player welfare directly impacts performance on the pitch. By fostering a healthier body and mind, players can reach their complete potential. He believes adding the collective voice and influence of the PFAG is crucial in creating these conditions.
“Most of the players are handicapped in reading and writing which makes contractual issues difficult for them and club administrators take advantage of that. We also realized most of the players do not know of Player SSNIT, which is very important and we try our best to educate and get them enrolled for their clubs to pay. Joining the PFAG is free, you only have to fill a form to get a membership card. We go round educating our members and they stand to benefit a lot,” he ended.
Zutah’s emphasis on unity and active participation in the PFAG is a clear message about the value he places on player welfare and competitive performance.
His vision of a player-centric approach underscores the role of the PFAG in creating a more supportive environment for sporting excellence.