Sports News of Thursday, 14 June 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-06-14
Dr Kofi Amoah, Cudjoe Fianoo, Rev. Osei Kofi, Abedi Pele, Eva Okyere
Government has turned to a businessman Dr. Kofi Amoah to lead a five-member committee to oversee football administration in the country as it takes steps to dissolve the Ghana Football Association over a bribery scandal.
Dr. Kofi Amoah will work with President of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) Cudjoe Fianoo, three-time African player of the year Abedi Pele, football legend, Rev Osei Kofi and a sports journalist and lawyer Eva Okyere.
Government has also appointed popular TV presenter Dan Kweku Yeboah as the spokesperson for the committee.
Dr. Kofi Amoah once toyed with the idea of buying English club Portsmouth and was in charge of organising Africa’s biggest football game CAN 2008 in Ghana. The business man has links with FIFA and owns popular entertainment center Citizen Kofi.
Questions still surround Abedi Pele who was once banned in 2007 by the GFA for match-fixing after his Division One side Nania FC beat Okwawu United 31-0.
The former Olympique Marseille player also has connections with FIFA and was an ambassador for South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup finals. He was nominated in 2001 to contest for GFA president but later withdrew.
Rev Osei Kofi, called the ‘wizard dribbler’ in his football days is usually seen on TV discussing football matters. The Asante Kotoko star turned down a financial incentive to play in Europe at his prime in 1969.
The Interim Management Committee replaces the GFA executive committee which government has indicated can no longer operate.
All GFA officials were relieved of their posts after an investigative documentary captured scores allegedly collecting bribes and breaching GFA/FIFA ethics.
The scandal has resulted in a FIFA ban of President Kwesi Nyantakyi for 90 days. He has since resigned.
Government is determined to dissolve the association which is a private company. The Attorney-General Gloria Akuffo has called the GFA “an obscene emblem of scandal, corruption and an illegal enterprise” after she pleaded before an Accra High Court for an injunction on the GFA.
It secured an injunction to stop GFA officials from carrying out their duties after some two officials were blocked from traveling to Russia to represent Ghana at a FIFA meeting.