The erstwhile GFA President was too powerful
I'm doing a reflective practitioning of Ghana football for the past 13 years and I can't phantom why football gurus and astute business men like Papsey, Randy, George, Raji, Koomson, Mickey Charles, Paa Kwesi Nduom, TT Brothers, Senator Brigidi, Delali, JY Appiah, Eyiah, Fianoo, Kurt, Palmer, Sabato, Ansong, Mospacka, Nana Yaw Amponsah and our prominent chiefs, former Ambassadors and judges who are involved in our game, have allowed this practice to go on unchecked.
The FA is made up of the clubs, they give their mandate to the FA President o secure and sign contracts on their behalf. The President does so and refuses to let the clubs know the details and clauses in the contracts, with a caveat that there are confidentiality clauses in the contracts which third parties are not supposed to see - not even EmCO or ExCo or Vice Presidents. If I may ask, are the clubs, which the President has signed contracts on their behalf, third Parties? Jesus Christ!
Quite ludicrous and ridiculous. Without the clubs knowing the details of the contracts, how can they know their rights and obligations? No wonder contracts with Ghana Telecom, Globacom and First Capital did not travel to its full length. And this clandestine practice has gone on for almost 13 years, that is for almost every sponsorship in that period.
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Act 1 of the 1992 constitution says the sovereignty of the people of Ghana resides in the people and it has been vested in the President of the Republic who shall exercise this right for and on behalf of the people of Ghana. Act 75 of the same constitution says the President may execute agreements or covenants with international bodies or states but it is subject to ratification from Parliament. That means Parliament will have a look at all clauses and details in the contracts before they approve of it. Even, loans to develop the country, Parliament must ratify it. Can Ghana‘s President tell Parliament they are third parties and, therefore, are precluded from seeing the confidentiality clauses in the contracts? It only happens in Ghana football. When former President Mahama signed agreement with US to accommodate the GITMO 2 in Ghana without ratification from Parliament, the Supreme Court ruled on the matter as unconstitutional. The recent military agreement between President Akufo-Addo and the US had to go to Parliament for ratification.
So why didn't President Kwesi Nyantakyi show details of contracts signed between the GFA and other companies to ExCo? And this went on for more than a decade without football persons being bold to right this wrong. Then this can only mean that Nyantakyi was really an uncommented commander and a fountain of honour.
In the midst of what we find ourselves in now, I had a privileged conversation with a corporate boss who has football at heart on how Ghana football can retrace its good old path. He tells me Nyantakyi bowing out is not the solutions to the enormous problems we have in football, but the clubs getting qualified professionals to lead them, persons who can oppose and challenge the leadership of the GFA with cogent, relevant and alternative views when and where necessary. And I associate myself with his view.
If we continue to allow the clubs to be represented by so called “club reps", who are satisfied with "papaye" and a paltry T&T from leaders of the FA at GHALCA meetings and FA Congresses, to vote on major footballing decisions, then this will bring no change in our game and it won't be a remedy in curing the bribery and corruption canker that has marred the beauty and progress of our game.
At this juncture, I humbly ask all football persons to do a retrospection and introspection without being bias, arbitrary, whimsical and capricious, and contribute effectively, efficiently and efficaciously towards the revival of the most patronised and participated sport in Ghana.
By Moses Antwi Benefo (P.J Mozee)