GFA guards against "interference"

Accra, April 16, GNA - The President of the Ghana Football Association, (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi has said that the purported recommendation by the Government Transition team directed at reviewing the mandate of the Federation amounts to interference.

He told the media in Accra on Thursday that Congress, the highest decision making body of the GFA remain the only competent authority vested with the right to carry out a review of that mandate. Nyantakyi said such calls by the Transitional team is misplaced and "at best an attempt to interfere in the management of football, which, no doubt will incur the wrath of FIFA."

The President said the GFA in 2005 revised its statutes and embraced a new dispensation under which government control and direct involvement in the management of football was substantially curtailed. He added that his outfit also has difficulty in accepting the Transitional team's alleged recommendation for the appointment of government representatives to the various management committees of the national teams.

Nyantakyi described such proposals as a clear interference, insisting "we all agree that the state owns all the national teams but yet government cannot be directly involved in their management. "Following legislative reforms undertaken by the FA in 2005, clear boundaries were drawn within which the FA is expected to collaborate with Government with FIFA hesitant in giving government a direct involvement in the management."

He said Article 70 of the GFA's statutes provides a public interest committee which is expected to cater for the interest of the Public and Government.

This Article, according to the President gives government two slots on the five-member committees of the various national teams and three for the GFA.

Nyantakyi questioned the basis on which the Transitional team was said to have recommended for auditing of the GFA's 2006 World Cup accounts.

"We are not afraid of a forensic audit because we have not committed any wrongdoing, but if the issues raised by the Transitional team are the basis for the forensic report, then they lack merit". "Former Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Prof. Dominic Fobih appeared before Parliament and answered questions relating to the 2006 World Cup account and Parliament in its own wisdom considered the accounts and expressed satisfaction ".

Nyantakyi pledged the GFA's commitment to collaborate with government in their quest to achieve set targets in spite "of the challenges we face presently".