#Number12: MOYS, FIFA to hold showdown talks in Accra

The Ministry and Youth and Sports have announced that it will hold talks with a three-member delegation from FIFA on Friday in Accra as part of processes to reform, sanitize and re-organize football activities in the country.

The government announced plans to dissolve the Ghana Football Association (GFA) following a damning investigative documentary on corruption in African football by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

Media reports had suggested that a government delegation was due at the FIFA headquarters in Switzerland to engage the world football governing body on the matter.

However, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Elvis Adjei-Baah, FIFA has mandated a 3-member delegation to fly into the country on Thursday, June 21 and engage with government on Friday, June 22.

"Contrary to earlier information that Government delegation would be flying out to the Home of Football in Zurich, FIFA has mandated a 3-member delegation to fly into the country on Thursday 21st June 2018 and engage with Government on Friday 22 June 2018," a statement signed by Mr Adjei-Baah said.

"As already known, this meeting is coming on at the request of the Government of Ghana as part of processes of reforms to sanitize and re-organize football activities in the country".

Background

The GFA and its former President Kwesi Nyantakyi have come under government scrutiny since the airing of an investigative documentary exposing alleged acts of corruption involving GFA officials.

The embattled former GFA boss was seen and heard describing how to make money from a proposed sponsorship deal from a supposed investor.

For a deal worth about $15 million, Nyantakyi and his fellow 'conspirators' were to make $3.5 million from it in one of the most damaging scenes in the video in which he said he would funnel the monies into the country through his microfinance company.

He also boasted of his relationship with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, suggesting the president and his vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, were susceptible to bribery, and that the two could be influenced with $5 million and $3 million respectively.

Nyantakyi is currently being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service over a charge of defrauding by false pretence.

The government through the Attorney General is in the process of dissolving the Ghana FA after securing a court order halting all GFA activities last week.