The aftermath of the screening of ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas expose´ on the rot at the Ghana Football Association has divided stakeholders of the political divide as well as members of the public. Prior to the public showing of the investigative piece, Anas gave precedence to some people in high office and showed them the video to take their views. His action drew criticisms from a section of the public and lawmakers with some alleging that the video may have been compromised.
The methods of the investigative journalist have been questioned with some describing it as an intentional setup to result in the failure of the subjects of his investigations.
The latest to join the fray in criticism is Politician, Football administrator and former FA Chairman, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe. He expressed his disappointment at the discretion of Anas to show the video before it was publicly screened.
“… I have no problem with what he’s doing, I have no problem at all. The only problem I have, not with him but with his system is that; if you’re able to do a very good work as an investigative journalist. For heaven’s sake, that work is for the common man. Let the common man see it first. Do not allow any other person to look at it…. Then one will know that it’s authentic.
He further stated that allowing persons other than President Akufo-Addo to watch the video was a sign that the anticorruption crusader could be compromised.
“…I don’t care whose name is mentioned, it wasn’t only the President who saw it. I’m told President Mahama saw it, President Rawlings saw it, President Kufuor also saw it, it is wrong! It is totally wrong, that alone tells you that Anas can be compromised….” He chided
“… Why should you release the tape to certain people? Now if the present President has been mentioned, what about the others, were they mentioned in it, none of them was mentioned. But why should they also view it before the general public...” he further quizzed.
The video featured top officials of the Ghana Football Association including its former president, Kwesi Nyantakyi allegedly taking bribes to influence various aspects of the game, including call-ups to the national team, the duration of playing time for some players and the selection of unfit players and referees to participate in games, among other things.
Kwesi Nyantakyi, was seen allegedly receiving a bribe to illegally secure a $15 million sponsorship deal for Ghana’s local league, acting simultaneously as FA boss and the representative of a ‘ghost’ company that would serve as agent, resulting in him pocketing about 20% of the sponsorship sum, contrary to FIFA and GFA’s regulations.
More than 100 referees were also caught on tape taking bribes to manipulate the outcome of games in a team’s favour.
The government announced it Thursday that it had initiated steps to have the Ghana Football Association dissolved due to widespread nature of the canker in the association but the GFA seems to have started internal processes clean itself.
The GFA’s parent body has meanwhile banned Kwesi Nyantakyi from all of its activities for 90 days.
