The government of Ghana announced on Thursday that it had "decided to take immediate action" to dissolve the Ghana Football Federation after the explosive revelations of a journalistic investigation into the corruption of leaders and referees.
The government "decided to take immediate action for the dissolution of the Ghana Football Federation," because of "the massive nature of alleged corruption," said Minister of Information Mustapha Abdul-Hamid late Thursday.
In an explosive documentary presented on Wednesday (June 6th) in Accra, investigative journalists say, with images, that the president of the Ghana Football Federation is involved in several alleged corruption offenses involving millions of dollars in gambling. jars of wine.
The Minister of Information added that the members of the government were "shocked and indignant" by the documentary, "which reveals deep irregularities in the management of the federation."
"The government will ensure that the necessary reforms are implemented urgently to improve the governance of football in the country," he promised, promising interim measures to manage the federation while waiting for training. a new direction.
"No attempt to protect members"
The Ghana Football Federation said earlier in the day it was ready to "take immediate action" to fight corruption, claiming to take "very seriously" these accusations. "The federation is keen to point out that there will be no attempt to conceal or protect members who are involved in corruption," she added.
Kwesi Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana Football Association (FA Ghana) , is trapped by reporters posing as potential "investors" to whom he offers lucrative contracts, in the film "Number 12", previewed at the Accra International Conference Center, where many diplomats and politicians were present.
Several leaders of the federation and referees are also filmed receiving bribes to influence the selection of players or to rig the outcome of some first league matches.
THE AGREEMENT UNDER DISCUSSION IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA IS ABOUT $ 5 MILLION A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS
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This documentary is the result of a two-year investigation by an undercover journalist (and his team), Anas Aremeyaw Anas, known in Ghana for revealing numerous cases of corruption or abuse of power in the country.
Death threats
In particular, we see Kwesi Nyantakyi offering supposed financial investors (in fact journalists) $ 11 million to facilitate access to key officials of the Ghanaian government, hoping to win major contracts. in the fields of agriculture, construction and oil.
The agreement under discussion in front of the camera is about $ 5 million a year for five years and provides for 20 to 25% back commissions paid by the federation to Kwesi Nyantakyi and its partners via Namax.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who has already investigated several corruption scandals, including in the judiciary, said he received death threats in connection with his investigation of Ghanaian football.
In late May, the Ghanaian police opened an investigation into allegations of corruption against the president of the football federation. It followed a complaint by head of state Nana Akufo-Addo - based on the journalist's investigation - that Kwesi Nyantakyi had "fraudulently used the name and office of the President" for personal matters. The latter was interrogated and released pending further investigation.