After the rather abysmal showing of the black stars at the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon, there's been series of conversation on social media about the era of Kwesi Nyantakyi and how he was a blessing to Ghana football.
Some media pundits have even gone ahead to suggest that Mr.Nyantakyi should be brought back to handle Ghana football again.
Among such pro-Nyantakyi campaigners is Paul Adom-Otchere, the host of Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV (and part time Christmas tree procurement expert).
In his usual touch screen editorial, he went round and round on why the black stars’ failure could be attributed to how Kwesi Nyantakyi was ditched following Anas’ Number 12 expose on corruption in Ghana football.
As an anti-corruption activist, I am particularly alarmed by such commentary and a rather public rationalisation of corruption which was the bedrock of Ghana’s football woes in the first place.
And to blame Anas, an investigative journalist who went the extra mile to show us how real the perception of corruption in our football administration was is a clear sign of misdiagnosing the current problem of the balckstars which would ultimately lead to the administering of the wrong medication(solution) to the problem.
The likes of Paul Adom-Otchere must be told that the only crime Anas committed if any, was his decision not reveal the entire footage of Number 12, cutting some implicative footages that would have shown the direct involvement of corrupt politicians in the cancer of corruption that had bedevilled the GFA at the time and Ghana football as a whole.
When Anas decided to go and show the Number 12 footage to President Akufo-Addo, ultimately leading to the sacrifice of Kwesi Nyantakyi at the instance of the “big fishes” that was Anas’ only problem with Number 12.
In any case, the fundamental question that we should rather be asking ourselves after this poor showing of the black stars is, did the removal of Kwesi Nyantakyi, brought to and end the corruption in football administration in Ghana?
Has the corruption that had bedevilled the call-ups of players to the back stars ceased?
The answer to the above question is a resounding No!!
The corruption in the GFA still persists even in bigger folds now, albeit the removal of Kwesi Nyantakyi.
So the real problem is, just like now, we misdiagnosed the problem Anas’ number 12 brought out, because we were in a haste to sacrifice Nyantakyi to save the image of the President and his government from international embarrassment.
We removed Kwesi Nyantakyi but failed woefully to institute the necessary reforms that was needed to stop the corruption, the leakages and the overall monetization of Ghana football.
So people like Paul Adom-Otchere should shut up, the solution to the problem is not in the bringing back of Kwesi Nyantakyi, the solution is in the reforms that is urgently needed in football administration, the development of grassroots football and the demonetization of Ghana football.
I still maintain that Number 12 did Ghana football a lot of good, we just couldn't sustain it because we sacrificed the much needed reforms on the alter of sensationalism and partisan politics!!!
Source: Mensah Thompson/Executive Director, ASEPA
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