Ghana: When Football Gives Mills a Bloody Nose

16 May 2011

On Friday, May 15, 2011, the Accra Human Rights Court put any dispute about the status of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and its relationship with the government to rest.

According to the court, presided over by Mr. Justice U.P. Dery, the Government of Ghana has no right to interfere with the administration of the game.

The court affirmed that the GFA is a private organisation, and that it is not subject to investigation by any government agency. This affirmation is not a new development to the body politic in Ghana. It is a fact, universally acknowledged, that the football controlling body in this country cannot be a subject of inquiry by any agency of the state.

This matter had previously been pronounced upon by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the world governing body on the game. Somehow, the government of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills would not accord the football body in Ghana its independent status.

People who have failed over the years to get elected on to the GFA, have used their considerable political leverage as members of the political party shoring up the Atta Mills regime, to use state agencies to harass officials directing football on behalf of the people of Ghana.

As the Chronicle on Saturday stated in its headline on the reportage of the latest court case in which the government of the former university don has lost, Prof, Atta Mills was given another bloody nose by the court.

The Chronicle is offering this administration free consultancy. The NDC administration should please keep away from interfering in football matters. It stands to be embarrassed the more, if it does not keep off the administration of football in Ghana.

We know the identities of party operatives who have contrived to embroil the government and its agencies in matters that have collectively, conspired to give the Atta Mills administration a bloody nose from the courts. Unfortunately for this administration, evidence exists that there are machinations again in the GFA presidential election.

The Chronicle is aware of machinations by party agents and presidential staffers in a grand scheme to influence the course of the GFA presidential election, using the authority of the President. We believe the President and his close aides have a fair idea of the personalities hiding under the power of the presidency to interfere with football administration.

While we are at it, The Chronicle is urging the government to take advantage of the court pronouncement at the week-end, to return the $11 million FIFA paid the Black Stars, in respect of the team’s sterling performance in the 2010 World Cup. The money is for football development. It was not given to this nation to aid our budget.

The administration of Prof. Atta Mills would do well to return the money before someone goes to court to compel the government to do so. This administration must learn a lesson from the several embarrassments coming from our courts of competent jurisdiction.

In this constitutional dispensation, there is very little or no room for impunity. Let the NDC government learn from its many defeats in court.

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