Former Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga has criticized government’s decision to take steps to dissolve the Ghana Football Association (GFA) following the latest exposé by ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas which uncovered corruption in Ghana football. 

According to him, the decision is not in the best interest of the country.

In a statement signed by Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, government said it is “shocked and outraged” by the contents of the exposé which was premiered at the AICC on Wednesday.

“Government will see to it that the necessary reforms are urgently undertaken to sanitise football administration in the country. Government will communicate these decisions to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), and engage with them on these developments to chart a way forward for Ghana football.”

The public screening of the documentary at the Accra International Conference Center reduced the Association to ridicule and severe trolling on social media.

The President of the Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi was filmed collecting $65,000 from ‘investors’ to influence the president and vice-president to get road contracts. Over hundred football officials including referees and match commissioners were also captured taking bribes of various amounts of monies to compromise their fairness in soccer matches.

But Mahama Ayariga, Lawyer and MP for Bawku insists the government is not clothed with powers from the constitution to dissolve the GFA.

“The constitution does not give government that power, so to the extent that there’s no constitutional provision vesting government with those powers and there’s no ACT of Parliament vesting government with those powers they cannot take those actions. They cannot take actions to dissolve it, they cannot dissolve it. They have to come to Parliament and they haven’t come to Parliament, they’ll rather have to convince members of the association to take those actions against their individual members pursuant to their regulations.”