Ghana Football Association Vice President George Afriyie has slammed the local media for criticizing his outfit decision to sell broadcasting rights of the Ghana Premier League and other competitions to StarTimes for the 10-years.

The deal is worth $17,950,000 with the Chinese company also providing ten artificial pitches and a fully equipped modern OB van to the GFA.

The deal has been widely criticized, citing reasons such as using Ghana as guinea pigs for the project, but Afriyie wants the media to be optimistic.

“I sometimes don’t understand the Ghanaian media because they were all calling on the FA to secure a sponsorship for the League.” George told Nhyira FM.

“We have been able to get a ten years sponsorship deal with StarTimes and here are the same media blaming us that the deal cannot be trusted.

“StarTimes are in to make the league more attractive because at the end of every season, we will acquire a land and they will construct an astro-turf pitch for us so at the end of the contract we will get ten astro-turf pitches.

“I will urge the media to support the FA because without sponsors it will be difficult for us to run the league. Let us all appreciate what StarTimes are willing to do for us,”