Investigate Nyantekyi – Commission
Kwesi Nyantekyi, president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), cannot account for over $2m of sponsorship monies for the Black Stars’ friendly matches played before the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
The report of the Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry into matters relating to the participation of the Black Stars at the World Cup says Nyantekyi has been unable to account for monies received for and from international friendly matches ahead of the tournament.
The over 390-page report said the GFA demanded and received money from Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC), sponsors of the Black Stars for some friendly matches though those games were fully funded by FIFA international match agents.
It said while the “Dutch government paid for all expenses of the friendly match with Holland”, Nyantekyi took money from GNPC for the same match.
The report said that “The Commission took evidence by an official from the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) that the GFA withdrew $2m on May 28, 2014 from its foreign account with Unibank.
“Intelligent report received from counterparts in Holland indicated that the president of the GFA, Nyantakyi checked into the country on May 29, 2014, with cash of $900,000. This he declared at the airport at 7:11am.
“On June 1, 2014, Nyantekyi exited the country with $400,000 only. $500,000 was spent within three days in Holland since only $400,000 exited the country. The Dutch government paid for all the expenses of the friendly match with Holland.”
The report said “The GFA president stated in his evidence that GNPC financed Ghana v Japan and Ghana v Cape Verde but that they later received from the Japan match an amount of $350,000 which the GFA decided to use to offset the deficit of $392,000 from the Cape Verde match.
“The GFA president also stated in his evidence that the actual cost incurred in the Japan match was $470,000 though $350,000 was received from the match agent.
“Evidence was also given by the GNPC that they paid $472,227.56 towards the Japan friendly match.”
It further said despite claiming losses for the friendlies with Cape Verde, Nigeria and Togo, “No evidence of losses made was tendered in except for the statement the president made to the Commission.”
Nyantekyi, according to the report also received $200,000 from the Ministry of Youth and Sports for a friendly match towards the World Cup.
It said “The transaction appeared suspicious because two different receipts were made available, dated on different dates, on A4 paper, one signed without a name and the other signed by somebody, with a stamp that can easily be manufactured locally.”
Source: GNA