Ex-Kotoko management member reveals how Kwame Kyei’s ‘stubbornness’ cost the club $240k FIFA fine

Kumasi Asante Kotoko have until the tenth day of next month to cough up a staggering $240,000 to pay Tunisian side Esperance.

The Porcupines have been in a transfer tango with the North Africa giants the last five years following the signing of Emmanuel Clottey who was then on the books of Esperance.

Finality was brought to the issue earlier this month when FIFA declared Kotoko guilty and ordered them to pay the aforementioned money or be demoted to the lower tier of Ghana football.

As the club explore various means of settling the fine before the May 10 deadline, a former management member of the club has revealed how the ‘stubbornness’ of one person landed them in the mess they find themselves in currently.

Edmund Ackah was an official of the club until last month when he resigned amid allegations against the club’s Executive Chairman, Kwame Kyei.

Ackah has been speaking to Kumasi-based Oyerepa and he has made some gobsmacking claims on the matter.

Ackah asserts that Kwame Kyei ignored a proposed plan by some management members on how to settle the debt owed Esperance last year.

He narrates that arrangement was made with Esperance for them to use the money from the Kwame Bonsu deal to settle part of the arrears after which Kotoko will add the rest.

He claims the proposal was near completion until Kwame Kyei pulled the plug with the reason that it is not his administration that incurred the debt.

"If Dr Kwame Kyei had listened to management members on the Clottey issues, Kotoko wouldn't be paying this huge amount," He told Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM.

"I am not in management but I trust the rest there can do the job. They are more than capable but if only he(Dr Kwame Kyei) will listen. In August 2019, Esperance wrote to Kotoko giving us their account details to pay them $30,000 because we owe them $180,000 and they also owe us $150,000 but the chairman said he will not pay because he didn't sign Emmanuel Clottey.

He added: "Nobody is causing financial loss to Kotoko or Dr Kwame Kyei but the Executive Chairman himself(Dr. Kwame Kyei). He single-handedly contacted Zachariassen, lodged him at a hotel at East Legon before handing him over to George Amoako and Nana Kwame Dankwah.

"Even on CK Akonnor's issue, he insulted us(management) when he sought our opinion, after agreeing with CK to pay him off at GHc 50,000 Dr Kwame Kyei said he will only pay GHc20,000 and now Kotoko have to pay over one billion, whose fault is it?. You mention laws of the game on issues to him, then he starts spewing that there's no need for the laws.

"People accused me of bringing George Abege but have forgotten to also acknowledge me for bringing Justice Blay to the club who is being hailed today. The only role I played was to get a contact in Kenya for the team so they contact officials of Kariobangi Sharks. Nobody should blame anybody for the Financial losses, he's the problem, not anybody."

The crisis in Kotoko appears to have reached a tipping point after the club's supporters descended heavily on the club's boss.

Ackah’s outburst does not bode well for Kwame Kyei who has come under scrutiny for alleged financial mismanagement in his administration.

Calls for the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu to crack the whip on him keep getting louder each passing day.