The out gone Normalization Committee (NC) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is reaping from where they have not sowed following the decision of the body led by its president at the time of its existence, Dr. Kofi Amoah to deduct a whooping $100,000 US Dollars from the amount of $1,000,000 (one million) US Dollars paid to the Committee by Globacom Ghana in the name of the GFA as part of their sponsorship deal signed with the FA 10 years ago.
In November 2009, the Ghana Football Association announced a five-year sponsorship deal with the then new telecommunication company in Ghana, Glo Mobile Ghana as title sponsor for the Ghana premier league.
The GFA, under the ruling of its president Kwasi Nyantakyi, signed a $3 million deal with Globacom Ghana (Glo Mobile Ghana) for the first year of the deal with an upward increment expected for the remaining four years of the agreement. This made Glo Mobile the title sponsor of the local league which was eventually christened the Glo Premier League between the years of 2009 to 2014.
However, Globacom Ghana along the line unilaterally abrogated its sponsorship deal with the GFA without making any payment of the agreed amount to the GFA. The the President of the GFA, Lawyer Kwasi Nyantakyi, engaged the services of Lawyer Thaddeus Sory, a lawyer for the then GFA who dragged Globacom Ghana to the law court to demand for the telecommunication company to honour its commitment with the FA and pay the $3m as was enshrined in the sponsorship contract.
The court however directed, that the case be entrusted into the hands of arbitrators since it concerns sponsorship issues. In compliance, Lawyer Thaddeus Sory and for that matter the GFA, engaged the services of a law chamber known as Bayuo, Kizito & co to handle the case and order Glo to pay the money. Ironically, Vice Chairperson of the now out gone NC of the GFA, Naa Odofoley Nortey (Mrs), was then working with Bayuo, Kizito & co chamber.
At the arbitration proceedings, Glo pleaded the court that they were cash trapped and offered to pay $1.5m out of the total amount of $3m, which is only 50% of the actual debt they owed the GFA. Glo then offered to pay the money in three installments; $500,000 every six months. As part of the structures of the GFA, the matter was referred to the Financial Committee of the FA which had Wilfred Osei Kweku (Palmer) as its chairman. The financial Committee then advised the FA to accept the proposal by Glo as the saying goes; half a loaf is better than non.
The GFA agreed eventually to the offer by Glo, meanwhile, Bayuo, Kizito & co, the arbitrators who held the case, were entitled to $70,000, Thaddeus Sory, lawyer of the FA who was in charge of the case on behalf of the GFA, was also entitled to 10% of the total payment of the $1m US Dollars, being $100,000 US Dollars, as legal charges to him as the lawyer contracted to pursue payment from Globacom Ghana.
After the hearings, Globacom Ghana then brought the first batch of the money, $500,000 as physical cash to the Kwasi Nyantakyi led FA, but the Association declined to accept the physical cash as it was against the policies of the FA, and directed Glo to pay the money directly into the account of the GFA, which they successfully did. The remaining $1000,000 was in the process of being paid when Mr. Nyantakyi resigned as president of the FA following the publication of the Number 12 Expose, a documentary by Tiger Eye PI which alleged serious of corrupt practices against him regarding his dealings as president of the FA, though he denies any wrong doing.
Throughout the tenure of the NC after the Nyantakyi administration, Glo had not yet paid the remaining amount till Wednesday, November 27, 2019 when they paid the remaining $1m to the NC after the NC had left office and handed over all documents to the new GFA under the leadership of the newly elected GFA President, Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku.
As a matter of fact, the Normalization Committee (NC), while at office, never engaged the service of any lawyer to pursue Glabacom Ghana in court to pay the money, because that job had already been done by lawyer Thaddeus Sory.
Just last week November 27, Globacom Ghana paid the remaining total amount of $1000,000 to the NC, and into an account other than that of the GFA. After receiving the money, Dr. Kofi Amoah, the then president of the out gone NC, has deducted 10% of the total amount paid, representing a a whooping sum of $100,000 claiming it to be meant for legal charges to a Lawyer of the Normalisation Committee contracted to pursue payment from Globacom Ghana, a case which had already been pursued and concluded by lawyer Thaddeus Sory.
At the time of signing the deal with Glo, there were 16 clubs playing in the league and the money is for all these clubs, some of which are presently relegated. These clubs suffered for seasons in vain waiting for this money which was never coming, now the money has been paid and a chunk of it is now going into the WRONG pocket (s) and purses! This is a clear case of a delayed justice, a denied justice and more importantly, A STOLEN VERDICT with the food for the sons and daughters being given to strangers who are reaping where they never sowed! Something must be done NOW!!
