“The GOG and FIFA shall work closely to eradicate corruption and malfeasance and other associated criminal conduct from the administration of football in Ghana”
Interestingly, I never thought FIFA will one day open up to governments across Africa to deal with corruption in football on the continent because of the usual mantra of government interference.
My instinct and convictions have proven me right that I supported a good cause when the government took the decision to dissolve the Football Association in Ghana. Upon hearing it for the first time, it was sounding ridiculous in my ears.
How can the whole football association be dissolved? Does it mean that football is finished in this country? How will FIFA receive this news? But, I realized that there are more to it than what we thought we know after the Tiger Eye expose.
The descriptions given to the FA by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Madam Gloria Akuffo in court summed up the situation at hand. ‘Obscene emblem of illegality and fraud’ as well as calling football people rogues; that for me was too harsh because there are good people in the FA I know who have integrity and are morally upright but the collapsed system boxed all of them together.
“The government of Ghana (GOG) and FIFA shall establish a joint task force to create proper disciplinary, governance and auditing mechanisms as well as ensure that persons who are found culpable are punished in accordance with Ghanaian domestic laws and FIFA statutes”.
Some of us thought we were fighting for regime change for the betterment of our game but we ended up getting more than what we bargained for. It will not be farfetched if I heap praises on our President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and the Sports Minister Hon Isaac Asiamah for their tenacity and tactfulness in handling this whole football episode with FIFA.
At one stage, some people thought there will be only one outcome and that will be suspending Ghana from all FIFA organized competitions as well as not having anything to do with all its constituent bodies because of the stance government took after the #12 exposé.
There was some sort of jubilations by some Executive Committee members when FIFA’s August 27th ultimatum was given to government to withdraw the liquidation case from the High Court. That jubilation, however, has been cut short with the proposed normalization committee to be put in place by FIFA, CAF and GOG to replace the Executive Committee of the FA.
This agreement by FIFA and GOG to set a normalization committee, tells us the magnitude of the problem we are facing as Football fans and enthusiast and the type of evidence given to FIFA about the illegal operations of the Football Association in Ghana.
At this stage, I can only urge all football loving fans to come with ideas to help rebuild our game. The normalization committee will count on us for ideas for the reforms and the new direction for Ghana football.
JONES ASANTE MFODWO
JOURNALIST