Ghana Football is on the decline – Kwesi Nyantakyi

Former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi has expressed concern over the declining state of football in Ghana in recent years.

In an exclusive interview with Kumasi-based Lawson Radio (96.3 FM) on Thursday, December 5, Nyantakyi admitted that while he could not pinpoint the exact cause of the issues plaguing Ghanaian football, he was certain that something was wrong.

Nyantakyi, 56, was especially troubled by the frequent hiring and firing of Black Stars coaches, with the association changing coaches five times in just five years.

"Football is like pregnancy; you can't hide it. Ghana football is not going well, and everyone can see that. Nothing is working. While no one is perfect, we all make decisions, and sometimes, after reflection, we realize mistakes and seek to correct them," he said, commenting on the state of football in the country.

"I know Ghana football is not going well. I can't exactly say what's going on. I don't know the inner workings of the issue, but as an outsider, I can tell that something is wrong. In five years, we’ve had five coaches, and that’s not acceptable," he added.

Nyantakyi, who is also a banker and a lawyer, served as GFA president from December 30, 2005, until June 7, 2018, when he officially resigned. However, just hours before his resignation letter was made public, FIFA issued a statement banning him from all football-related activities for 90 days pending investigations.

The circumstances surrounding his resignation were tied to an undercover video released by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in which Nyantakyi was seen accepting a bribe and claiming to have the ability to "take over the whole country."

In an interview with Super Sports South Africa, shortly before the video was made public, Nyantakyi denied any involvement in match-fixing. However, on October 30, 2018, FIFA issued a lifetime ban on Nyantakyi from football-related activities. This ban was later reduced to 15 years in October 2020 after a reconsideration by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).