I have no problem with GFA -Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Moahmmed Muntaka Mubarak, says reports that he has problems with the Ghana Football Association are false.

According to him, he has met with officials of the GFA more than any other agency under the ministry and each time, they reach compromises without rancour.

“There is not a single time when they walked out of a meeting with me unhappy about anything.”

Speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Alhaji Mubarak said he supports the GFA in everything they do and cannot be said to have frosty relationships with officials.

The charges of interference in the internal matters of the association, he argued, are unsustainable.

Relative to the administrative committee set up to investigate overcrowding and other incidents at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium that led to the death of four persons, he said government was only acting responsibly.

He asked which responsible government will not take action in a case that resulted in loss of lives.

The committee, inter alia, recommended the banning of the Chief Executive Officer of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, a recommendation that has attracted street protests by supporters of the club.

Lawyers of Mr. Sylvester Asare Owusu have also threatened to sue anybody who tries to stop him from performing his duties as Kotoko boss.

But the Youth and Sports Minister said he is ready to meet them in court and test the laws of the land.

He believes the committee’s recommendations were in good faith and he is determined to see them implemented by the appropriate agencies.

The Asawase Member of Parliament also explained altercations he had with Black Stars striker, Sulley Ali Muntari.

He said while negotiating with the players their winning bonuses prior to a World Cup qualifying match against Benin, Muntari cut in, “oh don’t mind him, (after all) the other matches are there.”

The minister said he heard the comment and was not happy about it so he told Muntari to remember that there were many people who wanted an opportunity to play for their country.

But that attracted another terse response from Muntari who he quoted as saying; “then go and bring them to play.”

At that point, according to the minister, the skipper of the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah intervened and calmed tensions for peace to prevail.