End of An Era: Anas Exposes GFA Boss

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a rather unprecedented move yesterday ordered the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) over alleged fraud.

Kwasi Nyatakyi is believed to be engaged in some influence peddling using the name of the president.

The directive follows an investigative exposé by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

The president and his team have watched excerpts of the video due to be premiered on June 6 and 7^th this year in which Mr. Nyantakyi who has been the GFA Boss for 13 years was reportedly seen negotiating for an amount of money using the name of the president.

A directive was subsequently issued to the CID to arrest Mr Nyatakyi after a security briefing on the video.

Clarity

Samuel Abu Jinapor, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency in an interaction with journalists at the Jubilee House yesterday confirmed the position of the president.

“The president of the Republic has had the benefit of viewing aspects of this investigative piece and in this documentary, the president of the Ghana Football Association, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi is supposedly seen attempting to use the president’s name and that of the vice president and other senior officials of government to induce supposed potential investors into our country to part with various sums of monies.”

According to him the president as a responsible citizen and in fact more particularly as “a Chief Custodian and enforcer of our laws, have had to consult and evaluate the content of this investigative piece.”

Mr. Jinapor, stated that the president after consultation is fully satisfied that a prima facie basis is being established for criminal investigations to be launched into the conduct of the president of the GFA, Mr Nyantakyi and any other accomplices that may exist.

“Therefore, the president is reporting this matter to the legally sanctioned and mandated agencies of state and Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to commence investigations into this matter.”

Probe Begins

The Deputy Chief of Staff added: “I can confirm that the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service has since launched investigations into this matter and if I may be specific, in aspect of the crime of defrauding by false pretences.”

“The investigations in ongoing and we want to assure the Ghanaian people that the president is determined to fight crime, fight corruption, fight influence peddling, fight bribery and instill discipline, integrity and honesty into our public life.”

The private legal practitioner further added: “It will not matter your status in society and this is exactly what we have seen playing out in respect of this GFA matter. We will entreat our country men and women to be calm and allow the legally mandated security services to conducted their investigations and conclude their investigation.”

Mr. Jinapor indicated that the president is absolutely determined to ensure that anyone who is found culpable in the investigation would face the full rigorous of the laws of the country.

“The president has reported a potential crime to the Criminal Investigation Department of our country and the modus operandi that the CID deploys in investigating these matters and unravelling this crime and bringing the perpetrators if they may be, to book, would be left to their professional judgement―whether arrest, invitation, what have you and we trust they would do a very professional job” he assured.

Escapees

Meanwhile, even before the explosive investigative piece is publicized, sources say the content is set to cause a stir in the football fraternity and could cost several appointees their jobs.

Early on, Mr. Nyantakyi had dismissed claims that top officials of the GFA have started leaving the country in anticipation of the yet-to-be-released exposé.

However, it is believed that Nyantakyi himself is not in the country at the moment has vowed to turn himself in to the police when he arrives today.

The FA President has been in the limelight in recent times following his fallout and subsequent expulsion of Vice President of the FA, George Afriyie.

The move has raised questions about his intentions to seek re-election in 2019 when his current tenure comes to an end, despite stating that he will not seek re-election.

As at press time yesterday, the offices of the GFA had been locked while officials of the Association remain tight lipped, keeping varying distances.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson