Ghana Soccer Under Political Siege

Ghana football is riding high. That is without a shadow of doubt. After the relative success of the Black Stars of Ghana in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa in June and July, when only the ungodly hands of Luis Suarez prevented a semi-final berth, Ghana is held in the international arena as the hope of African football.

We are ranked number 20 in the world and second in Africa. I even have a problem with the second ranking on the continent. I cannot fathom why we are playing second fiddle to the Pharaohs of Egypt which have not qualified for the World Cup on two different occasions.

They are champions of Africa. That is a fact. But it is also well known that they have failed to be part of the global fiesta on two occasions. They were missing from Germany in 2006 and were roundly beaten by Algeria before the world gathered in the rainbow nation.

I would like to believe that when football is discussed in the comity of nations, Ghana should be regarded as without equal on the continent. The exploits of the Black Stars aside, we are world champions at the Under 20 level. No African nation can be so proud.

Unknown to most Ghanaians, we are contriving to throw away the baby with the bath water. An overbearing government, fumbling on all fronts and borrowing as if there is no tomorrow, is insisting on taking over the running of the game, contrary to the established norm in international football.

As you read this piece, Randy Abbey, spokesman of the Ghana Football Association is on orders from agents of the old Slave Castle to vacate his two positions on the FA.

Letters announcing his resignations as spokesman of the association and chairman of the Meteors, the Under 23 national team also known as the Ghana Olympic team, had been drafted waiting for his signature at the FA secretariat.

I gather that Randy has refused to sign the two letters. But the clamour for his removal is never ending.

Those seeking his removal contend that Mr. Abbey has been very vocal on radio and television in his criticism of the leadership style of Prof. John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills as President of this republic.

He is therefore considered an enemy of Government House and since it is the government of the day that funds activities of the various national teams, it is unacceptable that he should be seen as the face of football administration in this country.

I can report on authority that agents of the ruling NDC connected with football have piled on the pressure on Kwesi Nyantakyi to dispense with Randy Abbey, seen as the right-hand man of the FA President.

The FA President himself has remained tight-lipped on the issue. He would not divulge any information about a series of meetings he is said to have held with NDC agents in football. He has also refused to name those he has been meeting with.

But my independent investigation indicates that at least three personalities have been prominent in the demand to sacrifice Randy to appease those who must be obeyed at the old slave Castle.

Mr. Oteng Arthur, member of the Ghana League Clubs Association, Mr. Jones Abu Alhassan, one-time local manager of maestro Abedi Ayew Pele and Alhaji Mukaila, a regional chairman of the football association have been fingered among others.

I am told that apart from demanding the exit of Randy, the agitators are demanding leading roles in the administration of football in Ghana.

There is a motion on the floor to open up all the eight national teams to representatives of the ruling party. Ghana has eight national teams.

They are made up of five male sides and three female squads. We have the Black Stars, the senior national team, the Meteors, Under 23 or Olympic team, the Satellites, current World Under 20 champions, the Starlets, the Under17 national team and the local Black Stars, or CHAN squad.

The female teams are the Black Queens, Black Princesses at Under 20 level and the Maidens or the Under 17 team.

The NDC operatives are demanding a representation of two each on all the eight national football teams. In addition, they are rooting for a five-member Public Interest committee to be formed, with three members drawn from agents of the ruling NDC.

My advice to the FA President is never to give in. If he does, it would be the day he signed his own death warrant as leader of football administration in this land of our birth. Randy is only being used as the means to get at him.

Kwesi Nyantakyi is not considered a favourite of those calling the shots at Government House. One of the immediate actions the NDC administration took on assumption of power was to look into the accounts prepared by the FA after the 2006 World Cup.

The Government’s Transitional Team summoned Kwesi Nyantakyi to the Castle with copies of the accounts that had already received Parliamentary approval.

When nothing incriminating was found, a circular was widely distributed to NDC big-shots, alleging that Nyantakyi was put as head of Ghana football by ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor and should therefore be toppled.

At the time this circular was prepared, the author, Kojo Bonsu and his co-conspirators knew that it was not true and that Kwesi Nyantakyi contested for the position on his own merit and won squarely.

When the move back-fired, the idea of the Public Interest Committee was mooted to get the NDC to supervise the activities of the Ghana Football Association.

It is interesting to note that President John Evans Atta Mills paid a courtesy call on FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his staff at FIFA House in Zurich on his visit to Switzerland last month.

It is interesting to note that there was no news about any such visit to the International Olympic Committee which is still in conflict with the political leadership of Ghana over the shabby treatment being meted out to the Ghana Olympic Committee. For the uninitiated, the IOC is also based in Switzerland.

Following the visit, a news item was released in Accra, stating that the President of the Federation of International de Football Association has given the head of state of Ghana the right to investigate the Ghana Football Association.

That was a very curious development. What is important is that up till now, there has been no official communiqué from FIFA to that effect, as far as I know.

One of the immediate actions taken by the President on his return from Switzerland was to direct the Serious Fraud Office to haul the GFA before its almighty power.

On Tuesday, September 7, 2010, the Ghana Football Association received summons from Mr. Charles N.A. Akrong, Acting Deputy Director (Operations) of the Serious Fraud Office, ordering Mr. Nyantakyi to appear before interrogators at its offices at the Old Parliament House in Accra, on Monday, September 13.

“You are required to report to the Executive Director of the SFO or his representative at the Old Parliament House, Accra, on Mon. the 13th of Sept. at 10.00am to give information on GFA/GLOBACOM.GH SPONSORSHIP DEAL FOR GHANA PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE,” the summons said.

The FA President was mandated to “provide the following: (1) Contract documents with Midsea Co. Ltd, Afrisat (TV Production Co.) Globacom, Renef Williams (Nature of relationship) (2) All payments from Globacom since inception of contract, (3) Documents on all payments in respect of contracts to Mid Sea Co. Ltd, (4) All agency documents if any (5) Contract Documents with One-Touch (Vodafone.Gh) in respect of GFA/Globacom sponsorship.”

Two days later, on Thursday September 9, 2010, another summon was filed to the offices of the FA signed by the same Mr. Charles N.A. Akrong on behalf of the Executive Director.

The head of Ghana football was to appear on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 10 am. This time, the FA President was required to “give information on issues concerning 2010 World Cup.”

Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi was required to produce the following: (1) “List of all sponsors, (2) Documents on total amount mobilized per each sponsor (3) Documents on total disbursements (4) payment of bonuses, basis, quantum and beneficiaries.”

In all these developments, only Kwesi Nyantakyi and Randy Abbey among the five-member Ghana Football Association decision-making board have been cited.

The other three including Vice-President Fred Pappoe and Fred Crentsil are conspicuous by their absence or even comment. Mr. Kofi Nsiah, General Secretary of the FA and Chief Executive of the football controlling body, is also anonymous in all these dealings.

Observers are unable to pin-point the source of their anonymity other than to conjecture whether or not they stand to gain by the persecution of the FA President and spokesman of the association. Your guess is as good as mine.

In the next article, I intend to reveal the circumstances leading to the rumour mill churning out information that Kwesi Nyantakyi was to be arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on his return from a meeting of the Confederation of African Football and the mobilization of Channel O’ supporters from Nima who milled the airport in support of the FA President. There is also this juicy bit about a botched attempt to replace Kwesi Nyantakyi with Abedi Pele as Ghana’s contestant on the CAF executive. It will blow your mind away.

In the interim, accept my sincere apology for this column’s inability to appear on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. The Electricity Company of Ghana had everything to do with this disappointment.

Source: D Guide