Ex-Black Stars goalie backs Sports Minister to probe FA

Former Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak goalkeeper, Saanie Mohammed, has said the Minister of Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, is justified in his intention to probe the affairs of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

There have been tensions between the FA and Mr Vanderpuye, who, shortly after his appointment, vowed to stop the payment of honorarium to management members of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) during official matches of the Black Stars, and also hinted at slashing winning bonuses for the senior national team as well as changing the way football is managed in the country.

Recently, the GFA was alleged to have spent over $420,000 as unclassified payment in the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Egypt, according to a document chanced upon by sports newspaper Ghana Sports, an amount Mr Vanderpuye has expressed strong reservations about.

But Speaking to Class Sports, Mohammed alleged the FA spent $700,000 during the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup and said the minister was right to probe the FA’s affairs.

“If you are benefitting from something and they want to take it away from you, definitely you will complain. I think the minister is right to some extent because they saw that there were leakages in the FA budget and I think that they have to defend the citizens because the tax that is paid by the citizens cannot just be going like that,” he stated.

Mr Mohammed also explained the circumstances behind his getting axed from the national team some years ago. “We were in Kenya when Sammy Adjei got injured, and lies were told about me that I was asked to play and I said I was afraid. Meanwhile, the then-coach, Ratomir Dujkovic told me that he wanted me in the post during that match, but [assistant coach] Sellas Tetteh told him that I did not have the experience. We were there when George Owu came without anyone consulting us as to whether we could play. After that, they started giving me problems, lies were told against me by the GFA to the extent that they came to Paul Adom Okyere’s Good Evening Ghana show to bombard me with lies,” he said.