Minority calls for bipartisan c’ttee to probe Brazil debacle

The Minority in Parliament has filed a motion requesting Parliament to institute a bipartisan committee of enquiry to investigate the events surrounding Ghana’s preparation and participation in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The group, at a press conference in Accra yesterday, said it was skeptical that the committee President John Mahama had tasked the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to constitute to investigate the country’s showing at the tournament would amount to anything.

It contended that committees set up by the government to look into similar issues in the past had failed to make any meaningful findings; rather, they had covered up things for the government, thereby allowing it to continue to squander public funds.

The Minority Spokesperson on Youth and Sports, Mr Isaac Asiamah, said the fear of the Minority stemmed from the fact that the government had failed to act on findings by previous committees of enquiries, such as the one which examined the Maputo All Africa Games malfeasance.

That committee, he said, uncovered incompetence, corruption and rot but the government failed to punish those involved.

He wondered why the government had entrusted the investigations to the GFA, instead of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and reminded the government that it had no mandate, as per FIFA statutes, to ask the GFA to carry out any enquiry into the matter.

“Notwithstanding, the conviction of many people is that a lot of the rot emanated from the ministry, especially in the matter of appearance fees and government’s sponsorship of supporters.

“In any event, if the President wants a potent committee to delve into the pertinent issues, what is required is a Ministerial Committee of Enquiry," he said.

Mr Asiamah said the early exit of the Black Stars and the affliction of supporters in Brazil were the result of poor organisation and planning and a display of “gross incompetence” which constituted a “grotesque waste of public funds”.

According to him, it was baffling that the government had reassigned the Youth and Sports Minister, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, and his deputy, Joseph Yammin, who, he said, presided over the rot, in the aftermath of Ghana’s poor showing in Brazil.

He added that the House would demand accountability, “reshuffle or not”, and would not allow “a few selfish, greedy and incompetent officials to mess up the game for the millions of Ghanaians'.

The MP said it was ironic that as Ghanaians grappled with the present harsh economic conditions, the government could afford not to make decisions driven by efficiency, economy, value for money and the national interest.

“Why did we fail in Brazil 2014? Was it as a result of greed on the part of some government officials, dishonesty, lack of transparency and accountability? Or was it a product of the total disregard and respect for constituted authority?" he asked.