SWAG calls for reconstitution of 5-member committee

Accra, April 13, GNA - The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has called for the reconstitution of the five-member committee tasked by Congress, the highest decision making body of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to restructure the FA in accordance with FIFA standards.

SWAG says it rejects the composition of the committee made up of Kwesi Nyantakyi, Vice Chairman of the GFA Management Board, Jones Alhassan-Abu, Kwame Ntow-Fiako, Fred Crentsil and Randy Abbey formed last Thursday to undertake the restructuring exercise to conform to FIFA's order.

The world football governing body said in a letter dated March 23 to GFA Secretary Kofi Nsiah that the GFA statutes were extremely complex with the superposition of three bodies, the Congress, the Executive Council and the Management Board.

The letter ordered the GFA to streamline and simplify its structures with a four-power system - the legislative (congress), executive (executive committee) and judicial (disciplinary and appeals committees), as was the case in FIFA, Confederations and football associations around the world.

FIFA also stated that it frowned on the appointment of government nominees to the GFA Board, which should consist solely of democratically elected members.

Mr Edo Quansah, President of SWAG called for a broad-based membership embracing all stakeholders to be chaired by an eminent football administrator with a legal background.

He said the Kwasi Nyantakyi Committee cannot represent the entire "football constituency" and underscored the need to involve eminent lawyers who have been involved at the very top of football management. "We believe a committee chaired by someone like Prof. Kofi Kumado, a former GFA boss and a lawyer, Kofi Dua-Adonteng, Managing Director of Ghana Post and a lawyer, who have been involve at the very top of football management in this country would do more thorough job without being tainted by any element of bias," Mr Quansah said. The association also suggested the inclusion of names such as Alhaji M. N. D Jawula, Nana Sam Brew Butler both past GFA chairmen, Justice A. K .B Ampiah-President of Congress, Oheneba Charles, a former management member of the GFA Abrah Appiah, Chairman of the Professional League Board (PLB).

He criticized Congress for endorsing an illegality saying, "we note with tinge of sadness that the FIFA directives has been seized by the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA)-control 37-man Executive Council to undertake the reform exercise".

The SWAG President said the Executive Council as presently constituted has no place in the current football administration but supports the retention of Congress. "Congress should be retained as it is; but it should be chaired by whoever is the Chairman of the GFA," he said.