Deputy Sports Minister, Perry Okudzeto believes that the idea of the Ghana Premier League being played behind closed doors is one that could be explored.

Mr Okudzeto was on the panel for the sports edition of the Beyond the Lockdown programme on the Joy News channel.

The league was suspended on March 16 after matchday 15 following a ban imposed on public gatherings by government due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier this month, the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) stated that they will consider all the factors before making a final decision by June 30 as to what the future of the league would be.

So far, some leagues around the world have resumed following strict protocols. The latest of which is the German Bundesliga.

With pressure mounting on the GFA with a decision on the league’s resumption, the Deputy Sports Minister addressed how the sports industry cannot be isolated from the whole of the country as Ghana deals with the pandemic.

“It's important that this is managed in a holistic way. That's why the President of the Republic [Nana Akufo-Addo] is managing it the way it ought to be so we cannot be in isolation as a sector we have to be sort of be in the mix of what generally is been done to manage the case in Ghana. We would have to get to the point where government decides it's okay to have public gatherings,” Mr Okudzeto said.

Resumed leagues have seen games being played so far without fans and Mr Okudzeto was asked whether Ghana could emulate that.

“For a football match or any sporting activity to take place, it's not only the players, technical team, stadium managers, all kinds of people who will come together to make a football match.

The option of playing in empty stadia is fine. When we get to that point and we think that it's the best option for us in terms of making out game safe it will be one of the options we will consider. However, as we speak that decision has not been taken,” he answered.