A court in Ghana has suspended the country’s football association which now paves way for its dissolution.
The court order on Tuesday follows an earlier announcement last week by the government that it wants to dissolve the football association over bribery scandal.
A documentary on the football association by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas was screened to thousands of Ghanaians last week.
The documentary details how football officials take bribe to influence matches.
The under cover work by the journalist contains secret filming that shocked soccer fans who have demanded reforms.
The High Court granted the government’s request after it’s attorney general Gloria Akuffo filed a motion in court to suspend the Association (GFA) and its officials.
“GFA has undermined its existence and therefore in the interest of protecting the national interests, we say the attorney general owes the duty to take urgent measures to stop this,” Akuffo told journalists in Accra.
He said “The GFA has now become an instrument for self-aggrandisement by people who run it to make themselves rich.”
Extent of corruption
Over 70 professional referees and officials were caught on tape receiving bribes to fix games and influence player selections.
The President of the association, Kwesi Nyantakyi is captured on tape negotiating a dubious sponsorship deal while demanding $15 million as bribe.
Why the high Interest
For years allegations of corruption made were without evidence making it difficult to enforce reforms.
The involvement of prominent personalities in alleged corrupt acts including the president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi is also a factor.
He is captured in some aspects of the documentary taking money from potential investors.
Nyantakyi used the name of Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo Addo in some instances to take money from the investors.
FIFA BAN
FIFA in a statement said last week that “The chairperson of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee has provisionally banned the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and FIFA Council member, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, for a duration of 90 days.”
“The duration of the ban may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 45 days. During this time, Mr Nyantakyi is banned from all football activities at both national and international level (administrative, sports or any other). The ban comes into force immediately,” the statement added.
The statement went on further to say that “The decision was taken upon the request of the chairperson of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee”.
This is as a result of the initiation of “formal investigation proceedings into Mr Nyantakyi, pursuant to art. 83 par. 1 and art. 84 par. 2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics” the statement ended saying.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas
Anas Aremeyaw Anas uses painstaking and life risking methods in unearthing corruption in the public sector in Ghana and Africa.
He usually disguises himself making it difficult for corrupt persons to identify him, a method that some of his critics consider inappropriate.
Source: Africafeeds.com
