There’s a reason most local football fans in Ghana don’t trust the GFA. The GFA insists that the media and public mistrust in their dealings arise out of unjustified bad press.
Largely, the Kurt Okraku-led GFA set themselves up for the media and public mistrust. I have been scanning through comments on portals that have reported the shortfall in Ghana’s 2022 World Cup money (from $9m to $7.9m). About 99 per cent of the comments affirm the public mistrust.
Joy Sports say they have written to the GFA, asking questions on the shortfall. For almost two weeks, according to Joy Sports, the GFA has not responded to their email. Yet my good friend, Henry Asante (the GFA Coms Director) tells Asempa FM that, the difference in the $9m and $7.9m is attributable to monies Ghana owes FIFA for six years.
Thus, FIFA deducted debts Ghana owes it, leaving us with $7.9m. I’m slow to doubt Henry but granted his account is true, what’s the real difficulty for the GFA in giving that information to Joy Sports? Not replying to Joy Sports smacks of disrespect. Despite what the optics portray, this GFA, at heart, has little or no respect for sports journalists.
If this is all there is to the matter, why the delay in answering Joy Sports’ email? We’ve seen organisations like FIFA replying to emails on media queries with ease. Their response alone shows respect. The GFA must learn that from FIFA. They must make the particulars of the debt Ghana owed FIFA, which they say they have paid, public. Journalists will cross-check that with FIFA.
I make no allegation of financial malfeasance against the GFA or anyone but their posturing when money matters relative to Black Stars are raised doesn’t engender confidence in their administration. They’ve got to watch it. It’s why many fans don’t trust them.
Let’s assure the GFA that, as long as it’s Black Stars, our national pride, questions of their stewardship will be asked and where they fail to provide satisfactory answers, the mistrust will deepen. I fear that things like that affect the fortunes of the team somehow. If they care enough, they must be working on earning more public trust.