MPs call for Nyantakyi probe

Members of Parliament have called for the immediate resignation of the embattled President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi, and a parliamentary probe into the corruption allegations levelled against him and other members of the GFA.

Following the urgent call for the parliamentary probe, the Speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye has decided to establish a Seven-member special committee to investigate the alleged rot at the GFA as has been exposed by the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

Members of the special committee would be made public in due course after consultation by the leadership of parliament.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Bodi, Sampson Ahi, who drew parliament’s attention to the public backlash of the premiering of Anas’ expose on the GFA on Wednesday and the disgrace the expose has brought to the nation internationally, asked parliament to set up a committee to probe the allegations and appropriate recommendations made to the government for action to be taken.

He said after Wednesday’s premiering of the Anas’ expose, he had several calls from abroad requesting an action to be taken against the GFA officials who have brought international opprobrium to the nation and called for the immediate resignation of the GFA president.

The Bodi MP observed that though GFA is an autonomous body, parliament has the power under Article 109 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate matters of serious corruption at the Authority; which are also of public interest.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Adansi-Asokwa, K.T. Hammond said the GFA corruption scandal has caused serious injury to the reputation of the country and called on the GFA President to resign from his position to allow for further investigations.

The minority chief whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka and the majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu agreed to the suggestion and called for the parliamentary probe to be carried out by the seven-member committee which is expected to be constituted today.

The speaker, Prof Mike Ouaye said parliament has the power to investigate any matter of public interest and that the GFA issue which has generated so much national and international interest will not be glossed over by parliament.

He, therefore, said parliament will go all length to get to the bottom of the matter through the parliamentary probe and appropriate recommendations made to the executive for the necessary action.