Kwesi Nyantakyi was very open that’s why he was trapped by Anas – GFA former Comms Director – Sannie Daara
Former Ghana Football Association Communications Director Ibrahim Sannie Daara has suggested that Kwesi Nyantakyi’s approachable and open leadership style may have contributed to the events that brought an abrupt end to his football administration career.
Speaking in an interview with broadcaster Kafui Dey, Daara reflected on the character of the former GFA president, whose reign ended dramatically following the release of investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Number 12 documentary in 2018.
According to Daara, Nyantakyi’s willingness to engage with people from all walks of life made him one of the most accessible figures in Ghanaian football administration. However, he believes that same trait ultimately left him vulnerable.
“That’s how he was trapped,” Daara said.
“If he kept his doors closed, people wouldn’t have trapped him the way they trapped him. Anas wouldn’t have had the opportunity to trap him because he was very open.”
Daara described Nyantakyi as a leader who broke down barriers and treated people with respect regardless of their status or position.
“He dealt with people as if they were his colleagues. He would spend time to laugh with people. He was very, very open. You could walk into his office anytime,” he said.
For more than a decade, Nyantakyi was regarded as one of the most influential figures in African football, rising from Ghana football administration to hold positions within both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.
His career, however, unravelled in June 2018 after the Number 12 documentary alleged that he accepted money from undercover investigators posing as businessmen and claimed he could use political connections to facilitate investment opportunities.
The revelations triggered widespread public outrage and led to his resignation as president of the Ghana Football Association. He also stepped down from his roles within CAF and FIFA.
Nyantakyi was subsequently sanctioned by FIFA and handed a lifetime ban from football-related activities, a punishment later reduced to 15 years on appeal.
He also faced criminal proceedings in Ghana linked to the documentary’s findings. However, in 2025, the case was dismissed after prosecutors failed to produce key witnesses to support the prosecution.
Despite the controversy that overshadowed the latter part of Nyantakyi’s career, Daara’s comments offer a personal perspective on a leader he says was defined by accessibility and trust in those around him.
For Daara, the qualities that made Nyantakyi popular and approachable may also have been the very characteristics that exposed him to the scandal that changed the course of his life and career.
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