Former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, has strongly denied allegations linking him to the poor performance of the Black Stars.
His comments come in response to accusations made by Prophet Samuel Agyarkwah, also known as Akwankyerɛ Papa, who claims that Ghana’s football struggles are due to a spiritual attack orchestrated by Nyantakyi.
According to the prophet, the former GFA boss spiritually “tied” Ghana football in the Northern Region to hinder his successors’ progress and secure his legacy.
Prophet Agyarkwah reportedly told Mothers FM/TV, as quoted by Ghanasportspage: “The truth is that Ghana Football is under spiritual attack which has caused its downfall. Ghana football is being tied in the Northern Region by a popular ex-GFA President. The reason is to block his successors from shining so that he will be remembered forever.”
In an interview with Joy Sports, Nyantakyi dismissed the claims as baseless and absurd.
“The Black Stars does not belong to me; the team belongs to Ghanaians. How can I engage in spiritual machinations for the team to fail?” the former CAF 1st Vice President said.
“I was the President of Ghana football, not the Black Stars. In 2006, when we launched our football policy in Cape Coast, it was a comprehensive plan for the development of Ghana football as a whole.
“We consistently revised and implemented policies for governance, marketing, youth football, women’s football, player and referee development, among others. Was that about the Black Stars alone?
“Even as recent as October 2017, we had a three-day Summit in Cape Coast to engage stakeholders, holistically looking at how best we can administer football in the interest of all Ghanaians. Was it only about Black Stars?
Nyantakyi reaffirmed his commitment to Ghana football, expressing his willingness to share his experiences if called upon to support its progress.
“Why would I sabotage something that brings joy to Ghanaians simply because I am no longer at the helm? Do I even have that power? I celebrate just like any other Ghanaian when the team wins and I feel sad when it loses a match.
“Ghanaians should treat these baseless claims with the contempt they deserve. I have played my part in football development, and my tenure was never meant to last forever,” he said.
Highlighting global examples of leadership transitions, he added: “FIFA has moved forward without Sepp Blatter; CAF is thriving without Issa Hayatou. Why can’t Ghana football do the same without me? The Black Stars’ current challenges are not my doing.
“It is a figment of someone’s imagination and it should not be attributed to me,” he concluded.
During Nyantakyi’s tenure as GFA President, Ghana achieved remarkable milestones, including appearances at three consecutive FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, and 2014) and becoming the first African country to win the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 2009.
Ghana for the first time in 20 years failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) having finished at the bottom of Group F with three points after six matches.
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