Normalisation Committee to disqualify Palmer from GFA Presidency race, George and Kurt in trouble too

FIFA and CAF Normalisation Committeee (NC) for Ghana Football Association (GFA), is mooting the idea of disqualifying some members of the defunct Executive Committee (ExCo) of the Ghana FA.

The Committee, was mandated by world football governing body, FIFA, to oversee the administration of football in Ghana on the interim following the premiere of an exposé on corruption and match-fixing by Tiger Eye PI last year.

One of the core mandates of the Committee which came into being in September last year, was to serve as an Election Committee for the new leadership of the football governing body in Ghana.

Reports in the local media have been rife about how the NC intends to seek for a second extension of mandate to oversee a successful tenure of office, but we understand Rex Danquah discredited their reasons for another extension before cabinet.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah, before Parliament last week Wednesday, said his outfit “would ensure that they stick to their mandate and handover when it is due.”

Sticking to their mandate and handing over when the time is due means that, the NC must organise elections, the last of the mandates as spelt out by Luca Nicola, Manager, FIFA Member Associations in September last year.

We understand Mr. Rex Danquah is one of the key figures spearheading the processes that would lead to elections of the new governors of the country’s football and he has already held meetings with cabinet.

On Monday, deep throat sources said he was before some leading members at the Jubilee House to present the plan for elections and its madalities though details of the meeting are sketchy.

Sources close to the NC revealed that bank-roller of Tema Youth FC, Wilfred Osei Kwaku Palmer has been earmarked to be disqualified from contesting for the position of President, a role he has advertised himself for in the last half a year.

He is alleged to be a loyal of the former President of the Ghana FA, Kwesi Nyantakyi and the NC intends to clear his entire lineage to the throne. His political affiliation they say, is for the current leading opposition party, the National Democratic Party (NDC).

Osei Palmer has been at loggerheads with the NC following their decision to ask a private legal practitioner, Mr. Frank Davis of Davis and Davis Law Firm, a close friend of NC President Dr. Kofi Amoah to write to the former Management Committee Chairman of the Black Stars in April to demand 10% of the transfer fee for the sale of Joseph Painstil.

Muftawu Nabila Abdulai wrote to FIFA on this matter countless times demanding the legal backing of the NC’s request. FIFA called on phone to explain that they wrote to the NC for further briefing on the matter. It is unclear how it ended but it seems the friction also began hostility towards the Tema-based Club owner.

Some officials of the Secretariat of the GFA are afraid they might lose their jobs should Palmer win the elections to lead the association, and have backed the decision of the interim football heads to disqualify the “lone ranger” in the midst of the football storm when it struck last year.

Former Vice President, George Afriyie, whom FIFA still recognises as the Veep of the Association on its website is another target for disqualification, but sources say he might survive the axe as a political card is allegedly being played to have him pass the test. Dreams FC Executive Chairman, Kurt Edwin Simon Okraku, is also rumoured to be at the edge of the knife of the NC.

Kwesi Nyantakyi proposed Kurt Okraku to occupy the position of Vice President last year when he sacked George Afriyie. Isaac Asiamah, Minister for Youth and Sports, Muftawu Nabila Abdulai understands, rejected the recommendation.

It is unclear if the politics allegedly being played prompted his Facebook updates on Tuesday evening, with a seemingly lamentation; “Ghana Football is in trouble!!!!” and “God save our football!!!!”, What is however definite is that, the NC intends to have him blacklisted from appearing in the ballot paper for the top football job.

Muftawu Nabila Abdulai reached out to Kurt via WhatsApp last night, before following up with a phone call and text message this morning to have him clarify his Facebook posts, but as at the time of filing this report, he was yet to respond to any of the above.

The Normalisation Committeee have had two proposed Statutes to serve as a working document for Ghana football kayos by FIFA, but it seems a third report has been accepted as state Newspaper, Graphic reported on Monday that the proposed Statutes have been “approved’.

Last week, a document purportedly from the Normalisation Committeee leaked, and there were suggestions in the report that, the name of the FA would be changed from Ghana Football Association (GFA) to Association of Ghana Football (AGF).

The document also had a proposal to have the football association congress reduced from 123 to 94 delegates, and it would be headed by a Board Chairman and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), both of whom shall have no votes. It also indicated that the Board Chairman shall have Board of Directors and none shall have any affiliation with any football club in the country.

It is unclear how these Board of Directors shall find their way into the top decision-making body of the association as the document did not communicate what would be required of them to occupy their seats.

If this proposal is true and is approved by FIFA, it automatically disqualifies all club owners and members employed as club heads who seek for roles within the top hierarchy of Ghana football.

The document however, must pass the test of the FA Congress before it becomes a working document governing association football in Ghana.

-By Muftawu Nabila Abdulai