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The football association chief has explained why the top-flight's kick off will not follow as planned.

Ghana Football Association executive committee member Eddie Doku has revealed that the 2016-17 topflight campaign would not resume on the scheduled date of December 18.

The football governing body notified clubs last month on the official program but Doku, who doubles as the Referees Appointment Committee chairman, claimed it had been suspended following the television right agreement with Chinese company StarTimes, worth $17.9 million until 2027.

“The 2016-17 Ghana Premier League cannot start on the 18 December as it has been revealed by the Premier League Board. It is not possible” Doku told Adehye FM.

“Before the season will kick off, there will be a Gala competition between clubs as well as the Super Cup between last season's FA Cup and league winners. All these activities will take place before the league starts because they were included in the television right contract we signed with StarTimes last week. So, December 18 is not possible,” he added.

Beside, Goal understands that cases at the GFA Disciplinary Committee involving Dreams FCand Tema Youth FC as well as Techiman City and Berekum Chelsea could prolong the start of the campaign.

Last season, the league was initially scheduled to kick off on December 20, 2015 but litigations among clubs and match-fixing scandals delayed the campaign until February 20.