The proposed Independent elite League competition that has been at the front burner under the current administration will take off in the 2022/23 season.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council took the decision at a meeting in Accra.
According to the Executive Council, the current 18-club format will be maintained for the initial years before any addition or otherwise.
The decision follows an elaborate discussion and consultations by the Autonomous Premier League Advisory Committee chaired by Board Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak, Togbui Afede XIV.
The other Members included GFA Executive Council members, Dr Toni Aubynn, Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, Chairman of the Club Licensing Board and Delali Senaye, Chief Executive Officer of Inter Allies Football Club. Others were John Ansah, Operations Manager of Cape Coast Mysterious Ebusua Dwarfs Football Club.
The Advisory Committee is chaired by Togbe Afede XIV, Board Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club.
The Committee was instituted in June last year to start the process leading to the Ghana Premier League going autonomous.
The Ghana Premier League is currently organised and managed by the GFA.
The 18-club competition is managed by the Premier League Committee chaired by Lepowura Alhaji M.N.D Jawula with day-to-day administrative support from the Competitions Department of the GFA.
Thus, the 2021-22 Ghana Premier League will be the qualifying competition to the autonomous Ghana Premier League managed by a separate company outside the GFA, jointly owned by the clubs with the GFA owning a special share.
The GFA will handle Registration of players and officials and Disciplinary issues as required by FIFA.
The participating clubs will be taken through a special process and education leading to the full implementation in the 2022/23 season.