More To Go After Nyantakyi, Alhassan As ‘Corrupt’ Officials Are Asked To Step Aside

Barely twenty-four hours after the public viewing of the No 12 exposé by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeya Anas, and his Tiger Eye PI, two top-ranking officials of the yet-to-be dissolved Ghana Football Association (GFA) have resigned.

The two are no other persons than the GFA President (himself), Kwasi Nyantakyi, and the Northern Regional Chairman, Abdulahi Alhassan, whose resignations happened last Friday, June 03 and Saturday, June 09, 2018 respectively.

Today has, however, gathered that the worst is yet to happen! Credible information

available to the paper reveals that there is going to be what will be described as the largest simultaneous staff exodus in the country’s football administration.

According to multiple sources close to the football officials who were captured on video allegedly taking bribes and engaging in other fraudulent deals, many will tender in their resignations by close of this week.

The alleged corrupt FA officials, our sources indicated, do not only see the move as a last resort, but as a means to avoid further public ridicule and shame. And more importantly, when the Akufo-Addo administration has made it public its intention to take steps to dissolve the GFA.

Today further learnt that others by resigning believe could absolved them from possible prosecutions. Well that remains to be seen, especially when a cross-section of Ghanaian football lovers and fans are calling for their heads on a plate.

Meanwhile, a statement issued last Friday by the Executive Committee of the GFA following a meeting held same day has directed all officials of the GFA, captured on the No 12 exposé to have allegedly committed various acts of misconduct to step aside from their positions and “steer away from all football related activities with immediate effect.”

Already the Ghana Police Service has cordoned off the GFA Secretariat at Ridge, Accra, as a crime scene with police tapes to protect the premises. In fact there is a statement signed to that effect by the Police Director of Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sheila Kessie Abayie-Buckman.

It said: “As a result, the premises and offices of the GFA have been sealed off and remain inaccessible to the staff of GFA and the public until further notice.”

In addition, the statement noted that the referees committee of Ghana has been dissolved.

“All Officials of the GFA, shown to have allegedly committed various acts of misconduct, in the Tiger Eye PI documentary titled Number 12 shall step aside from their positions and steer away from all football related activities with immediate effect.

“The conduct of the said Officials has been referred to the GFA Ethics Committee chaired by COP Kofi Boakye to go through the Judicial Process.

The statement goes on to state that the GFA will not interfere in works of the Ethics Committee and would accept any decision that the committee will come out with.

And even before the government dissolves the GFA, FIFA has waded into the matter, slapping a ban of 90 days on embattled former GFA President, Mr Nyantakyi, who is currently being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

According to FIFA’s statement issued Friday, June 8, 2018: “Football official, Kwesi Nyantakyi, [has been] banned from all football activities for ninety days by independent ethics committee.

“The Chairperson of the adjudicatory chamber of ethics committee has provisionally banned the President of Ghana Football Association (GFA) and FIFA Council member, Kwesi Nyantakyi for a duration 90 days. The duration of the ban may be extended for an additional period not exceeding forty-five 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 decision was taken upon the request of the chairperson of the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee carrying out the formal investigations proceedings into Mr Nyantakyi, pursuant to Act 83 Par 1 and Act 84 par 2 of the FIFA code of ethics,” the statement explained.

However, Mr Nyantakyi has given the clearest of indications that he will fight the case in court.