Solomon calls for truce at GFA

Accra, Feb. 13, GNA - Mr Richard Oblitei Solomon, an Accra lawyer and a football administrator has called on the feuding parties in the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to lay down their arms and smoke the peace pipe in the overall interest of football in the country. He said the impasse must be resolved with both sides conceding a large proportion of their stance on the issue, believing that they are serving football and not their personal interests.

In a chat with the GNA Sports, Mr Solomon who serves the interest of the GFA on legal matters advised the GFA chairman and the members of the Executive Council not to flex their muscles because a show of strength from both sides would not help the situation. The lawyer said the most important thing to do now would be to pursue a mediation and resolution outside the courtroom that would compel all parties to forgive and forget about the preamble to the feud.

He blamed the media for instigating and fuelling the case to its present magnitude by amplifying the contents of the correspondence between the chairman and the Executive Council beyond their real meanings, adding that there was no word about impeachment in the first letter of the Executive Council as was reported by a section of the media.

Mr Solomon said the original request of Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe seeking more powers and the reduction in the size of the Executive Council might not be out of order entirely as such a suggestion had already been made by a committee appointed by GHALCA to fashion a new format for football administration in the country.

He said the Committee of which he was a member recommended that the Executive Council be reduced in size from the current 37 to either 13 or nine to allow for a more manageable number or be merged with the Management Board into one body.

The soccer administrator said the decision of the Committee was informed by the need to institute a more effective management structure that would help in promoting an accelerated development of football. Mr Solomon said GHALCA had grown in clout to become not only the mouthpiece of the clubs but a strong welfare body as well and it was important for them "to lead a deal for the resolution because a protracted legal battle will affect the clubs."

On the recent vote of no confidence passed by the GFA Congress in Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, he said, "it was an unfortunate situation," adding that they should have waited for the court case to run its length. The lawyer said though Congress had no legal standing to impeach the chairman, the implication of the vote of no confidence was to force the chairman out of office as most Executive Council members were at the Congress.