FIFA withdraws decision to ban Ghana

• Posted on August 29, 2018
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), has withdrawn its decision to ban Ghana from football activities.

Consequently, the Bureau of FIFA Council has appointed a normalisation committee for the Ghana Football Association (GFA), which is to work with the taskforce already formed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Ghana government so as to ensure normalcy in Ghana football administration.

Addressing a press conference in Accra Wednesday morning, the Information Minister-designate, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said, following the decision by Ghana to discontinue the court processes that sought to liquidate the GFA, FIFA has subsequently communicated its decision to withdraw its intended ban of Ghana.

He said the government received FIFA’s letter in relation to the matter of withdrawing the intended ban on Tuesday, August 27, 2018.

The government of Ghana took the practical step of discontinuing with the liquidation of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) by filing a motion to withdraw the liquidation petition from the Accra High Court.

The move by the government was in fulfilment of an agreement that it signed with FIFA on August 16, 2018.

Per the agreement signed at the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, the government and the football governing body decided to establish a normalisation committee that would replace the GFA’s Executive Committee.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said at the press conference that the normalisation committee will also review the GFA’s statutes to ensure compliance with the requirements of FIFA and CAF, particularly with Article 15 of the FIFA’s statutes.

The government of Ghana had sought to dissolve the GFA, following the corruption expose by undercover journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

However, FIFA threatened to suspend Ghana from all its activities if it went ahead to dissolve the GFA.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah explained that the committee’s mandate has been spelt out in accordance with Article 8 of FIFA’s statutes, adding that “the committee is to run the daily activities of the GFA.”

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said once the GFA statutes meet the requirements of FIFA and CAF, the normalisation committee will organise and conduct elections for the GFA’s executive committee on the basis of the revised GFA statutes.

According to him, the government of Ghana is expecting a delegation from CAF and FIFA to assess the suitability of a proposed name for GFA.

“In the coming days, a delegation from FIFA and CAF Council will be in Ghana to assess the suitability of the names that we have proposed. The names proposed by the government of Ghana for that normalisation committee,” Mr Oppong Nkrumah said.

He was optimistic that the committee will work to ensure that the GFA returns to normalcy, saying “It is our expectation that this will pave the way for the re-organisation of Ghana football, moving forward.”

He said the committee is expected to complete its work latest by March 21, 2019.