ACTING General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Emmanuel Gyimah disclosed that the Black Stars management team members received over $500,000 as appearance fees, providing two “ghost names” to justify the monies received.
His testimony sharply contradicts that of the President of GFA, Kwesi Nyantakyi who said at a press conference, after the 2014 World Cup Tournament that management committee members did not benefit from any bonuses.
Mr Emmanuel Gyimah who appeared before the Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, said that a total of US$577,700 was paid to seven (7) members of the management team even though only five (5) went to the tournament.
The extra two (2) names provided as a management members was Jordan Anagblah a former vice-president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) who died about two years ago and Emmanuel Kyeremeh, owner of Berekum Chelsea Football Club and a GFA executive committee member .
Mr Gyimah added that the management members were also paid winning bonuses and per diem just like the Black Star players.
When asked by Justice Dzamefe whether the management team members should be paid appearance fees, Mr Gyimah argued that the team members play a pivotal role for the Black Stars team and that they deserve it.
The following ensued between Mr Gyimah and the Commission:
The President of the GFA, Kwesi Nyantakyi who also appeared before the Commission, explained how the country could use football to brand itself insisting that football has the power to brand the nation better than the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Ghana Tourist Board, among others.
Football he said is “the passion of the people. It brings national unity and cohesion. It is a tool for international relations and diplomacy, it is an income generation avenue…football gives us that publicity without any extra investment. If we pay more attention to football, it will help the country.”
African Eye News
