Audio Attachment:Former Football Administrator and CEO of Agoo Magazine, Mr. Kojo Bonsu, says his call on gov't to put in place a Public Interest Committee (PIC) to oversee the activities of the GFA and help check indiscipline and corruption in football administration, is in the interest of the country.
Former Football Administrator and businessman, Mr. Kojo Bonsu.
A former football administrator and businessman, Mr. Kojo Bonsu has again taken a swipe at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) accusing the Kwesi Nyantakyi led administration of corruption. He also insists his call on government to immediately put in place a Public Interest Committee (PIC) to oversee the activities of the GFA and help check indiscipline and corruption in football administration, is not borne out of any personal ambition.
The CEO of Agoo Magazine had questioned the delay in the formation of the PIC by the GFA, but this seemed to have incurred the wrath of the GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi, who described Mr. Bonsu’s call as “bogus and unmeritorious”.
Speaking in an interview on Peace Fm’s “Kokrokoo”, Mr. Bonsu pointed out that he had no ulterior motive in raising questions about the FA’s accrued accounts and expenditure. He dismiss the assertion that he is being driven by personal ambition to be at the helm of the country’s football administration affairs, stressing “I am more than a GFA Chairman. I contested for that position sometime back but that is over, I’m not interested in being the FA President, I’m more than that.”
Whiles commending the GFA for ensuring the country’s quick qualification to the World Cup in South Africa, 2010, the former football administrator minced no words by insisting that the PIC is needed to oversee the activities of the GFA.
“There is no doubt the GFA has done well in ensuring that Ghana qualifies to the World Cup for the second consecutive time, but my worry has to do with the amount of money expended in the whole world Cup campaign. Do you know in the match against Benin and Ghana’s last qualifying match, the GFA spent about $3 million? Is this not in the interest of the general public to know?” He asked.
Reacting to the public backlash his call for a PIC had generated, Mr Kojo Bonsu countered that since the current GFA administration assumed power, “they have instituted various committee, but have been reluctant to set up the PIC.”
He enumerated several instances including the infamous Mallam Issa case, where the former Youth and Sports Minister, was jailed for allegedly stealing $46,000, to press home his call for a speedy establishment of the PIC.
“Do you recall some few months back that the GFA president alleged some referees received bribes from teams, then go ahead to handle matches? Also, quite recently some players alleged that the Black Satellites Coach took bribes before fielding players… Have I done anything wrong in asking that a PIC to be formed…?All these issues border on corruption… that is not to say the GFA President is corrupt, but they work as a team and any corrupt act tints the administration…we need the PIC to bring sanity in football administration,” he stated.
He continued; “There is no need for people to attack me personally as they are doing, I’m not picking on any individual, so there is no need for people to attack me, but I believe the public will judge my comments,” he said.
