Ouagadougou, June 6, GNA - Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has stated that the FA was not dragging its feet in renewing the Kinapharma sponsorship deal for the premier league.

In an interview with the GNA Sport in Ouagadougou, before the Black Stars took on their Burkinabe counterparts in an African Zone 2006 World Cup qualifier, the GFA chairman said his administration was prepared and would sign agreements that would be in the best interest of Ghana soccer development.

He said the new management team came to meet the present deal, which was signed by the previous administration, and felt that what the company was offering was not in the best interest of Ghana soccer development and should be improved upon.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said the present deal was far below expectation, considering the fact that it gave the company all exclusive rights, including television.

"This does not mean that the deal has been cancelled but talks are still on going for an amicable middle point that would be mutually beneficial to both parties which would be in the interest of Ghana soccer development", he told the GNA Sports.

Kinapharma a local Pharmaceutical firm went into a five-year agreement with the GFA last year to be the exclusive title sponsor for the premier league.

For the first year of the deal Kinapharma gave the GFA a total 1.5 billion cedis in cash and products of the company.

Sources say the company has decided to double its offer for this year's league but no conclusive deal has been agreed upon.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said his administration was for the best interest of Ghana soccer and was not in a hurry to sign deals that was not in the interest of all soccer loving Ghanaians.

He reckoned that Ghana's league was not well packaged but "it does not mean we should accept anything thrown at us".

"If things happen this way how do would we develop since we need the funds to develop the game and package it for sale", the Chairman said.