Football
KweséESPN Reporter 6y

Kwesi Nyantakyi resigns as Ghana FA President after bribery exposé

Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi resigned from his post on Friday after he was implicated in a bribery exposé.

A statement published by the GFA confirmed that the FIFA Council Member, who had earlier in the day been banned by FIFA from all football related activity for a provisional period of 90 days, made this decision after an Executive Committee meeting on Friday.

In a later statement, the GFA confirmed that all football matches had been suspended until further notice, following a government directive.

"After a meeting of the Executive Committee this afternoon I decided to resign as President of the Ghana Football Association," Nyantakyi's statement began.

"It stemmed out of the controversies generated by investigative report of Tiger Eye PI," he added. "In the said report I committed a series of errors of indiscretion.

"I gravely associated the highest office of the land - the presidency - with private discussions I had with "Scammers" who deceived me into thinking they were genuine persons interested in investing in our country.

"I hereby apologise unreservedly to the father of the Nation, H.E. Nana Akufo Addo, H.E. the Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, Hon. Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State for indiscretion in associating them with the private conversations on the video.

"I wish to clarify that at no time prior to or subsequent to any deliberations on the video did I consult, contact or inform any Government official about discussions on the video. I take sole and personal responsibility for the proceedings on the video.

"I wish to apologise to my family, work colleagues, friends, associates and the people of Ghana for the disappointment my indiscretion has caused them. This is by no means an admission of wrong doing for issues on the video."

His decision to step down follows an investigation by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who secretly filmed Mr. Nyankakyi discussing plans to set aside 25 per cent of a proposed sponsorship deal to a company he owns in a documentary called 'When Greed and Corruption Become the Norm'.

In the documentary, Nyantakyi is seen allegedly negotiating for a 25 percent cut of a sponsorship deal meant for the federation to be diverted to a company he owns.

On Thursday, the government of Ghana began action to dissolve the GFA "as a result of the pervasive nature of the rot within the GFA."

Youth and Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah confirmed to KweséESPN that the dissolution of the football association means that all of the football activity within the country is on hold, including the domestic league.

Nyanyakyi's resignation means the Ghana Football Association are currently without a president and a vice president after George Afriyie was sacked from his post a month ago.

Ghana also risk being suspended from the 2026 World Cup hosting vote next week, when it had been expected to vote for fellow African country Morocco against the joint bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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