Ben Nunoo-Mensah's thugs assault Project Officer of the GOC

In what can best be described as an attempt to intimidate and harass staff at the Ghana Olympic Committee, machomen loyal to the newly elected President of the GOC, Ben Nunoo-Mensah have assaulted a Project Officer of the GOC, Erasmus Kwaw at the first Executive Board (EB) meeting of the GOC last Friday in Accra.

According to sources, the unprovoked attack occurred when Mr. Nunoo-Mensah's entourage arrived at the GOC Office ahead of the scheduled meeting at around 4:00pm.

A witness recounted the incident saying, moments after Mr. Nunoo-Mensah had pointed his finger in the direction of the GOC staff member who was then seated at the entrance to the Secretary General's Office, two members of his (Nunoo-Mensah) team started verbally assaulting Mr. Kwaw.

Speaking with loud voices, they gestured rudely at Erasmus and asked him to respect Mr. Nunoo-Mensah because he is now the GOC President otherwise they were going to deal with him.

One of the thugs added sarcastically, that he (Erasmus) is an albino boy and must learn to respect Nunoo-Mensah.

Other members of Nunoo-Mensah’s team such as journalist Jones Asante Mfodwo and the President of the National Supporters Union Aziz Haruna Futa were witnesses to the incident.

The bizarre incident which lasted about 10 minutes, occurred in the full glare of some of the newly elected members of the GOC board including the 2nd Vice President of the GOC, Nii Adote Din Braimah 1, the Rio 2016 Chef de Mission, Chris Essilfie, staff members of the GOC and others.

The nasty scene cast a slur over the EB meeting later as many of the members wondered why the sudden attack on the GOC staff member.

It seemed to be a well-orchestrated plan by the Nunoo-Mensah team to intimidate the staff of the GOC and also members of the previous administration who were able to retain their seats.

The thugs who attacked Mr. Kwaw were earlier spotted at the car park of the Olympic Building and only entered the premises upon Nunoo-Mensah’s arrival. They left the building shortly after accomplishing their mission.

The incident is the opposite of the statement Mr. Nunoo-Mensah made after winning the close 33:28 GOC Presidential election last Wednesday to unseat the incumbent Prof. Francis Dodoo. In his acceptance speech, he told delegates:

"In every election, we are bound to have factions but after the elections, we must bury the hatchet and work together. I am a very good team player; I like to bring on people on board. I don’t want factions, Ghana sports belong to all of us and we have to make it better. It's a job for not me alone," Mr. Nunoo-Mensah said.

"I promise you principled, selfless, fair and firm leadership for all sports, a leader who will humbly serve you and not lord over you. A leader who will respect you as well as your views and contributions to the success of Ghana Sports especially all media men", he told the Starr Sports team.

He (Nunoo-Mensah) resigned from his position as Treasurer of the GOC in March, 2014 days after he had been badly exposed at a GOC Executive Board meeting.

This was after the EB had found out that several accusations he Nunoo-Mensah had made against the then President of the GOC Prof. Francis Dodoo and the Secretary General (SG), Richard Akpokavie were false.

Despite accusing the two officials of sidelining him from the activities of the GOC, it was found out at the EB meeting that he(Nunoo-Mensah) was aware of the all projects of the GOC as his signature and that of the SG were found on all the documents of the GOC.

He tendered in his resignation days after the EB meeting citing personal reasons.

There seems to be no love lost between Nunoo-Mensah and his former colleagues at the GOC. The attack on Erasmus Kwaw appears to be only the first step by Nunoo-Mensah’s team to gain absolute control over the GOC. ‘

Meanwhile, the GOC Project Officer is said to have reported the incident to the Police Service.