Sports News of Monday, 1 March 2021

Source: goal.com

Gor Mahia handed notice to pay Ghanaian star or face Fifa punishment

Gor Mahia have been issued a a 10-day notice to pay Jackson Owusu monies owed him Gor Mahia have been issued a a 10-day notice to pay Jackson Owusu monies owed him

Gor Mahia have been petitioned by Ghanaian Footballers Association to pay midfielder Jackson Owusu or else they will be reported to world governing body Fifa.

Goal can exclusively reveal the association working on behalf of the player, has given the Kenyan champions a 10-day notice to have him paid all his outstanding dues plus a five percent interest accumulated from the relevant due dates.

A letter to Gor Mahia signed by association chairman Yussin Chibsah and addressed to chairman Ambrose Rachier and former official Ronald Ngala has clarified that the player is owed Ksh2.4million and a sign-on fee of USD10, 000.

“We contact you in relation to the situation of the Ghanaian professional football player Jackson Owusu, an ex-player of your club – who we represent,” read the letter obtained by Goal.

“Enclosed to this email, you will find a duly signed authorisation to represent the player and you are kindly requested to address any future correspondences to the undersigned.

“In this respect, we kindly recall that Gor Mahia and Jackson [Owusu] signed an employment contract on January 20, 2020, valid for a year.

“In accordance with the contract, Owusu was entitled to a monthly salary of Ksh190, 000, a monthly allowance of Ksh6, 000, a signing fee of USD 10, 000 and a monthly housing allowance of Ksh10, 000.

“Unfortunately, until today, you have failed to pay Owusu any of the salaries, allowances, and signing fee.”

The letter continued: “As a result of the above, you currently owe Owusu the total allowances of Ksh2,482,000 [Ksh2,280, 000 + Ksh72, 000] and USD 10, 000 as the signing fee.

“In this regard, and in accordance with Article 12 of the Fifa Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, we herewith grant you a 10-day deadline to pay Owusu the total outstanding amount plus five percent interest as from the relevant due dates.”

Owusu who played for Gor Mahia when Steven Polack was the club’s head coach, has told Goal he will only rest after he receives his money.

“I signed for Gor Mahia and played for them for more than eight months but they did not pay anything,” Owusu told Goal on Monday. “My signing fee, my monthly allowances, and house allowances, and my pay never reached me during my stay there.

“They have to give me my money or else we meet in Fifa.”

Early in February, Gor Mahia were punished by Fifa after they were banned from signing new players for a failure to pay Tanzanian player Dickson Ambundo.

Ambundo was demanding Ksh 1.2million from the club and Fifa warned the giants that failure to settle the fines within 45 days upon the delivery of that judgement, they will be barred from engaging in the transfer window.

Ambundo left Gor Mahia in 2020 and joined Dodoma Jiji before Fifa ordered the club to pay him his outstanding salary arrears.

Before publishing this article, Goal reached out to Gor Mahia for their comment on Owusu's salary claim, but our calls have not been answered.