Following the delay in issuing the second tranche of sponsorship funds, Ghana's Premier League clubs are split over whether to invoke certain provisions in their contract with Chinese-owned broadcast company StarTimes.

Prosper Harrison Addo, the General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), was said to have pleaded with the clubs last week to accept half of the $10,000 required by the clubs as they awaited the remainder because the parent company of StarTimes, the league's Official Broadcast Partner, had delayed in releasing the funds.

While some clubs were doubtful about the sum because it violated their contractual arrangement with the Chinese firm, others are happy to participate because they think half a loaf is better than none.

According to sources close to the teams, they were due to collect $10,000 at the start of the season, then another $10,000 at the start of the second round, then the last $10,000 at the end of the season, according to the contract.

"Per the arrangement we were supposed to receive $10,000 but unfortunately what they are saying is they are expecting some money from their parent company in China and it's not yet in, so we should make do with the $5000. Because of the COVID it looks as if every company is in financial crisis," the source told Graphic Sports.

"Under normal circumstance it (money) should have been all (full payment) for the second round, but you know this country and lack of sponsors so you make do with whatever you have. I am sure going forward things will be reviewed to favour the clubs in a way," the source said.

While the clubs claim they are unaware of the penalties that will be imposed if one of the parties fails to uphold its end of the bargain, StarTimes officials acknowledged that there were provisions in the contract that allowed for sanctions if either of the parties failed to uphold its end of the bargain.

Some clubs are said to have acknowledged this justification, although others are doubtful because they feel that once StarTimes has violated the contractual arrangement, they would face the full repercussions regardless of COVID because they would have done the same if the FA had refused to meet their obligations.

“People have expressed their misgiven about the delays so maybe when we go for ExCo meeting we’ll be talking about it”.

“In every contract there are releases and as soon as you breach it anything can happen, but you know because there are no sponsors, we find it difficult to interpret the full details of the contract and apply the sanctions”, the source stated.

Meanwhile, when the Graphic Sports reached out to a StarTimes official for comment, the official stated that StarTimes worked directly with the FA rather than persons and advised the Graphic Sports to contact the local football governing body for more explanation.