Ghana’s football fraternity has suffered a big blow following an undercover piece by Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Anas’ latest exposé captures many referees and key officials within the Ghana Football Association (GFA), including the President Kwesi Nyantakyi in compromising positions.
Following the preview on Wednesday, a section of Ghanaians have been left in shock after they witnessed GFA officials, referees, football administrators and those in the Sports Ministry in the 90-minute feature who have been entrusted with power taking cash gifts to dampen their integrity for personal gains.
Scores of public personalities including sports analysts, actors and politicians have expressed their disgust by the conduct of those captured by the lenses of Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI crew.
The latest to add their voices to the commentaries are Ghanaian actresses; Yvonne Nelson and Nana Ama McBrown.
For the two screen stars, it seemed like scenes from a well-directed movie as they could not believe the extent to which some officials indicted in the clip could stoop low in taking monies as low as GHC300 to influence football outcomes.
Speaking in an interview with a UTV reporter at the Accra International Conference Centre on June 6, Yvonne Nelson expressed gross disappointed in the football association after having an opportunity to watch the exclusive expose dubbed Number 12, insisting on the dubious act as the backbone of the country’s fall-out in African football.
“At a point I couldn’t believe my eyes, I was totally overwhelmed with how things unfolded. The sequence in which the clip was put together clearly revealed that there is rot in the Ghanaian football from the grass level to the topmost official,” she said as she expressed her astonishment.
“But then you ask yourselves, why the bad conduct? Is it because they are not well-paid or they are hungry or they just want to be corrupt? It is the system. We are all to blame for the situation in which we find ourselves as a country. Let’s not pretend that we are all not aware there is corruption in every corner of this country.”
On her part, Empress Nana Ama McBrown who is known to be a professional footballer before venturing into acting reiterated she hanged her boots due to some of the corrupt practices in Ghana's football.
In her view, the patronage and love for Ghanaian football has diminished because some gatekeepers have blocked the chances of players from elevating into the national team and subsequently unto the world stage because of the bad deals in the dark which has left thousands of football lovers disappointed in football administration in Ghana.
“We have brilliant footballers but they don’t get the opportunity to play even in the Black Stars because some top officials expect bribes from the player before the individual is given a chance to shine his career. It is so sad, but this is a lesson to all of us,” she added.
Nyantakyi indicted in Anas exposé
President of the Ghana Football Association Kwesi Nyantakyi has been caught on tape outlining to agents of Anas’ TigerEyePI who posed as investors the key government officials to bribe and also the steps to take to get a strangle hold on key projects in the country.
The FA boss bragged about securing a meeting with the President, The Vice President as well as Roads Minister Kwasi Amoako-Atta only if an amount of 11 million Dollars could be made available to be split among the men.
He revealed that conversations with Deputy Roads Minister Anthony Karbo had indicated that the President would be willing to talk business at the sight of a certain amount of money.
The President was to receive an amount of 5 million dollars, while 3 million would go to Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, while the Minister and his deputy would receive an amount of 2 million and 1 million each.
He also suggested creating a third party company to act as intermediaries for the deal which will then charge between 20-25% commission on the sponsorship money.
According to him a solid relationship would then have been formed to open way for bigger and more lucrative deals to take place.
Nyantakyi has been urged to resign from his position with immediate effect following revelations he took $65,000 from potential Ghana Premier League sponsors.
However, some Ghanaians believe the resignation of embattled president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, is not the solution to the problems that bedevil Ghana football.
