The Ghana Football Association (GFA) could fight against the government’s attempt to dissolve it, a former minister for youth and sports, Mahama Ayariga, has said.
In his view, the government’s attempt to dissolve the GFA after investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ expose on Ghana football is illegal.
[contextly_sidebar id=”OroViWqE4jGHSqherbhaJ8mIHX3SfX73″]”To dissolve them is clearly against the constitution of Ghana and I think that the members of the association can actually go to court to get a court order declaring the government’s move as null and void,” he told Citi News.
Thought the rot is within football has been made clear for all to see, Mr Ayariga said it would be more prudent to target the individuals involved.
He maintained that the issues could be resolved and prosecutions carried out using the GFA’s code of conduct and other employment conditionalities as a basis.
“You can use those grounds to remove the leadership,” he stated.
“But once the members have this statement [announcing the intent to dissolve the GFA], I think that their lawyers can rush to court and seek a restraining order to restrain government from even taking the steps that they are contemplating.”
Aside from the intent to dissolve the GFA, the government has referred all its officials and the acting Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) to police for investigations.
The government in a statement said the actions of the relevant officials were “potentially criminal.”
Parliament will also set up a select committee to investigate the corruption at the GFA.
The extent of corruption in the Anas’ #Number12 documentary has been met with
Several high-ranking members in the GFA, including its President Kwesi Nyantakyi, have been implicated in acts of corruption.
Kwesi Nyantakyi was the first person publically implicated in alleged corruption ahead of the documentary screening.
He used the name of the President, the Vice President and other senior officers of the government to collect money and lure supposed foreign investors interested in establishing businesses in Ghana.
The already suspended GSA boss, Robert Sarfo Mensah, was also seen accepting a bribe to influence the player selection and give certain players more minutes at the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in India in 2017.
Anas also caught many Ghanaian FA officials and referees in alleged match-fixing deals.
Top football administrators were also seen taking money to influence call-ups for players into the national team.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citinewsroom.com/Ghana