Fifa, on Thursday, agreed with the Government of Ghana to form a normalization committee for the Ghana Football Association (GFA) while the latter is expected to back down on steps to wind it up.
Football activities in Ghana have been brought to a standstill due to an indefinite suspension on all matches after a recent investigative documentary exposed top officials and referees engaging in corrupt and match-fixing activities.
The Government followed up with a court action to liquidate the GFA alleging that it was being used for a criminal enterprise.
But Fifa, in a letter on August 13, threatened to suspend Ghana if the state fails to stop the process it deemed as an “undue influence in the affairs of the GFA” within two weeks.
This necessitated a hurriedly arrange meeting between Ghana government officials and Fifa executives in Zurich.
Below is a Fifa statement which followed the five-hour long meeting:
GHANA AND FIFA ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGH IN FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION
On Thursday August 16, 2018, a delegation of the Government of Ghana (GoG) led by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah (MP), and comprising the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minister for Information designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (MP), the Deputy-Attorney General, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, and the head of the Fifa/Caf liaison team, Dr. Kofi Amoah, met with a delegation of Fifa officials led by its President, Mr Gianni Infantino, and comprising the Secretary General, Madam Fatma Samoura, and other representatives of the Fifa administration.
The meeting resolved as follows:
- The Presidents of Ghana and Fifa have committed to work together to offer leadership in reforming football administration in Ghana and in Africa;
- That the GoG and Fifa shall work closely to eradicate corruption and malfeasance and other associated criminal conduct from the administration of football in Ghana;
- The GoG and Fifa shall establish a joint task force to create proper disciplinary, governance and auditing mechanisms as well as ensure that persons who are found culpable are punished in accordance with Ghanaian domestic laws and Fifa statutes;
- Fifa upon consultation with the GoG and Caf shall establish a normalization committee to replace the Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association;
- Fifa in consultation with the GoG and Caf shall appoint persons with integrity and competence to constitute the membership of the normalization committee;
- Satisfied with the above measures, the GoG shall take steps to discontinue the process for the winding up of the Ghana Football Association.
- SportsAfric
