Asante Kotoko head coach Abdul Karim Zito has lifted the lid on the poor living conditions of professional football players in Ghana.

Speaking to Luv FM, Zito revealed that coaches are sometimes forced to intervene before players can buy food.

“I'm very happy, because, seriously, sometimes we coaches give the players money, even to go home, even to eat. If a player comes to tell you “Yesterday I didn’t eat” you can't load him, because without food, nothing goes right.”

His comments come after the Ghana Football Association introduced a minimum salary of GHS 1,500 under a new policy aimed at improving player welfare and professionalizing the domestic game.

The initiative, which also covers the Division One League and Women’s Premier League, follows consultations with clubs and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG).

Alongside the GH¢1,500 minimum for GPL players, the new framework sets a minimum net monthly salary of GH¢700 for Division One League and Women’s Premier League players.

The figures will apply to all contracts signed during the next registration window, while players already under contract will see the changes take effect at the start of the 2026/2027 league season.

The reform is the outcome of months of consultation between the GFA, clubs and major stakeholders, and it marks a major step in addressing the long- standing welfare concerns footballers in Ghana.