Anas Aremeyaw Anas

The Ghanaian government on Thursday dissolved the country’s football association after allegations, in an undercover documentary, revealed widespread bribe-taking by referees and payment of kickbacks to top officials.

Announcing the dissolution, the country’s Information Minister, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said the government had decided to take immediate steps to have the GFA (Ghana Football Association) dissolved as a result of what he described as “widespread nature of the apparent rot”.

Abdul-Hamid said the government was “shocked and outraged” at the claims, which included referees apparently accepting bribes of at least $100 to give away matches.

He disclosed that the documentary had exposed the gross malfunctioning of the Ghana Football Association characterized by widespread fraud, corruption and bribery.

“The conduct of all GFA officials and the suspended director-general of the National Sports Authority, Robert Sarfo Mensah, has been referred to police for further investigation and any appropriate action,” he added.

The revelations from the documentary titled ‘When Greed And Corruption Become The Norm’ which was filmed over two years by an undercover investigative journalist,  Anas Aremeyaw Anas has sent shock waves through Ghana, where football is the national sport.

GFA president, Kwesi Nyantyaki was also caught on camera allegedly requesting $11 million from undercover reporters posing as investors to secure government contracts.

He also apparently tried to profit personally from a $5 million-a-year, five-year sponsorship deal with the GFA in what the documentary said was a clear breach of football ethics.

The video also showed Nyantakyi offering to facilitate the award of key government contracts to the businessman on conditions that he paid kickbacks totaling $12 million through him to top officials including the country’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo.

Specifically, Nyantakyi requested $5 million for Akufo-Addo, $3 million for Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, $2 million for the roads minister, $1 million for a deputy roads minister and another $1 million for himself and one of his aides.

Akufo-Addo, who watched the video last month, denied any knowledge of Nyantakyi’s claims, saying he has instituted a criminal investigation against the administrator for fraudulently using the President’s name.

The football association issued a statement last month backing their president and saying he was innocent until proven guilty.

In different segments, other soccer officials such as referees were shown accepting bribes ranging from goats to cash sums of 300 to 4,000 cedis ($64 – $858) to award favourable decisions during matches.