Ghana’s government says it is “shocked and outraged” by the corruption revelations in “#Number12”, the latest work by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and hence taking steps to dissolve its football association.
#Number 12 had just been aired to over 12,000 Ghanaians at the Accra International Conference Center on Wednesday and barely 24 hours later, government, which was smeared in parts of the video documentary, said the “pervasive nature of the rot” within the GFA needed the drastic decisions about to be taken.
A statement signed by Information Minister Mustapha Hamid Thursday noted that “the documentary exposes the gross mal-functioning of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), characterized by widespread fraud, corruption, and bribery.”
“Government has decided to take immediate steps to have the GFA dissolved. Government will shortly, thereafter, announce provisional measures to govern football activity in the country, until a new body is duly formed; and
“Government will communicate these decisions to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), and engage with been on these developments to chart a way forward for Ghana football,” the statement read in part.
Contradiction
While the official government position suggested a process is set to be undertaken, Ghana’s Sports Minister, Isaac Asiamah, in another breadth communicating the dissolution of the GFA is with immediate effect.
“The President [Nana Akuffo-Addo] has dissolved the GFA because of the corruption activities that were evident in the Anas exposé.”
“We will begin talks with Fifa and Caf on the right procedures to follow because we have cooperated well with the top bodies and they know how Ghana has always maintained a good example in football,” Asiamah told Peace FM.
Read below, the official statement by the Information Ministry:
