Ghana Football Association dissolved after bribery allegations

The Ghanaian government has decided to dissolve the country’s football association after claims, in an undercover documentary, of bribe-taking by referees and kickbacks to top officials.

Information minister Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said “the government had decided to take immediate steps to have the GFA (Ghana Football Association) dissolved” because of the “widespread nature of the apparent rot”.

The revelations, filmed over two years by an investigative journalist and first revealed on Wednesday, have sent shockwaves through Ghana, where football is the national sport.

Abdul-Hamid said the government was “shocked and outraged” at the claims, which included referees apparently accepting bribes of at least $100 to throw matches.

From very very very trusted sources, HE Nana Akufo-Addo has dissolved the Ghana Football Association (GFA). A statement from the Presidency through the Ministry of Information expected soon.

— Veronica Commey (@VeronicaCommey) June 7, 2018

pic.twitter.com/7yOjFwiaaR

— – I am – (@21stCAdvoc8) June 7, 2018

I support the decision in principle but I only hope it's in conjunction with FIFA so we can ban all those implicated from football related activities for the rest of their lives.

— adotey (@aafofio) June 7, 2018

GFA president Kwesi Nyantyaki was also caught on camera allegedly requesting $11 million from undercover reporters posing as investors to secure government contracts.

He also apparently tried to profit personally from a $5 million-a-year, five-year sponsorship deal with the GFA in what the expose said was a “clear breach” of ethics.

The information minister said the documentary “exposes gross malfunctioning of the Ghana Football Association characterised by widespread fraud, corruption and bribery”.

The conduct of all GFA officials and the suspended director-general of the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo Mensah, was referred to police for further investigation and any “appropriate action”, he added.

Provisional measures will be put in place to run the sport in Ghana until a new body is formed.

REUTERS