The Nonsense About “Government Interference” Must Stop!!!
It was refreshingly awful reading the statement purportedly issued by FIFA to
the government of Ghana to stop interfering with football related matters. Part
of the statement reads “The Ghanaian authorities have been giving until Sunday
to stop interfering in the country’s Football Association (GFA) and warned by
FIFA that their action will have “adverse consequences”.
The statement came on the back of a raid carried out by the country’s
anti-graft agency on the offices of the Ghana Football Association after an
invitation by the Economic and Organized Crime Unit (EOCU) was turned down by
the FA. What is FIFA talking about? Is Ghana not a sovereign state? Is FIFA
saying that institutions mandated by the constitution of Ghana to investigate
crimes in this country should not do their work any longer, in the name of
“government interference”? What the heck is this monster call FIFA?
Is it true that the Ghana Football Association goes to the government for money
to manage the National teams? Is it also true that the government pays for the
bonuses of the National team players and the Coaches as well? If indeed
government sponsors the activities of the FA, why should government not demand
for accountability? Is FIFA really serious?
The fact of the matter is that there is no government inference in the
activities of the Football Association and indeed, government has every right to
investigate organizations that operate within the territories of Ghana. The
Economic and Organized Crime Unit (EOCU) has the constitutional mandate to
investigate the Football Association irrespective of FIFA regulations. Indeed
the Economic and Organized Crime Unit made the same request to the National
Sport Council, the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the Ghana Olympic committee.
These bodies complied and fully assisted the authorities with whatever
information at their disposal. Why did the Football Association refused to
co-operate with the authorities? Did the FA know something that the rest of us
don’t know? Why all these childish prangs?
How many times are we going to allow ourselves to be victimized by the unbridled
folly and arrogance of these corrupt football administrators?
I am surprised the likes of Kwesi Nyantakyi and Randy Abbey who would want to
come across as intelligent people are behind these shenanigans. They must be
joking if they think they can hide behind FIFA immunity to perpetuate fraud on
Ghanaians. Sometimes, I wonder what goes through the minds of these intelligent
sounding educated fools. The Economic and Organized Crime Unit must do its work
and damn the consequences. Ghana is not ruled by FIFA by-laws. We are ruled by a
Constitution which is the mother of all laws in this country.
Am I surprised at FIFA’s reactions? Absolutely not! FIFA has a monopoly on
corruption in football matters and will not allow any call for accountability.
Not too long ago, I watched a BBC documentary in which the investigative
reporter Andrew Jennings unravels high level corruption within FIFA. Panorama
The Beautiful Bung – Corruption and the World Cup actually blown the cover off
the FIFA corruption scandals and revealed all the dirty deeds FIFA is committing
in the name of football. It is an open secret that Sepp Blatter was himself
investigated by the Swiss Police over his role in a 1million pounds worth of
bribes pocketed by football officials. With the likes of Sepp Blater and his
ilks at the Ghana Football Association in charge of football, the beautiful game
will continue to suffer from the ugly and scandalous behavior of greedy
politicians turned football administrators. FIFA should go ahead and do their
worst for all we care.
Let our laws work. There must be punitive sanctions against those found guilty
of misappropriating state funds. I believe that the application of denunciatory
justice is necessary in preserving the nation’s social contract. To leave a
beast to feed on a prey, when the law forbids such as act is a travesty of
natural justice. To deny that something does not exist, while it does, does not
eradicate the problem. Am I alone in my wild world? Let’s hear from you.
Emmanuel Dela Coffie
www.delacoffie.wordpress.com
